OK, I have a fantasy story I'm working on right now. It's fairly long, at 36 or so pages in Word, and would probably take a half an hour or so to read for the average reader. I was wondering... Should I post it here, would people be interested? If so, what would be the best way to do it?

Yeah post it here. We love new stories. 'Course it won't be better than mine ;p


And just copy and paste it into a post is all.

All right... Here it is.

Zanarak’s Gaze
By Matt Wood

Chapter 1:
A shadow stole through the dark streets of Ibopyra, flitting in and out of dim light. Ducking beneath a narrow beam, it slipped out of the City of the Ancient Light under the cover of darkness.
The city sentinel system behind her, Hikari raced into the mist of the wilderness. Completing her quest was the only thing on her mind, the immense danger could be worried about later.
The only thing she carried was her dagger, her only companion a Sikkal named Ayame.
Stealing a glance behind her to her longtime home, Hikari and Ayame turned the final corner into the deep wood.
“Hikari,” panted Ayame, “I sense danger ahead...”
Hikari slid her eyes in the Sikkal’s direction. She saw Ayame’s blue-gray fur standing on end, her one large blue eye widened in fear. Her claws were fully extended, ready to fight.
“What kind of danger?” Hikari asked, suspicious.
“Great danger,” said Ayame solemnly.
********************
Meanwhile, a dark presence stirred in a cave on the mountaintop overlooking the city from a great distance...
“Lord Zanarak,” piped a small voice from the entrance of the cave, “two small life forms have been seen leaving the city. What do you think they are planning to do?”
A deep voice issued from the back of the cave. “It doesn’t matter. I ordered for all life forms leaving the city to be killed! Marshal, gather the troops and prepare to set out! Bring this creature to me...”
The small voice called again. “Yes sir!”
The owner of that voice ran from the cave. “I wonder,” hissed Zanarak to himself, “have those puny Ibopyrans discovered my only weakness? It matters not. This new threat shall soon be apprehended.”
A deep laugh boomed from the cave.









Chapter 2:
Hikari slowed down after the Sikkal’s warning. Tales told of people who ignored a Sikkal’s prediction, and died horribly as a result.
Sikkals were a rare species nowadays, and they all have a large eye in the center of their forehead. Through this eye they can see vague predictions of the future, and no matter how hard someone tries to avoid it, the predictions always come true. Sikkals have retractable claws and great psychic energy flow for telekinetic powers, but other than that they’re pretty much defenseless.
And thus Hikari edged cautiously through the forest, always keeping an eye out for danger.
A shadow flickered through the underbrush. Hikari drew her dagger. “Stay calm,” she told Ayame, as Sikkals tended to be a nervous bunch. The shadow jumped out, as if to attack...
Hikari laughed. “Just a squirrel, Ayame.”
Ayame sighed. “I’m getting too old for this.”
The fist came as if out of nowhere.
**********************
Hikari opened her eyes a crack. She closed them again in terror as a monstrous eye descended into her view.
“The human’s awake, boss,” a deep voice growled. “Should I put her back to sleep?” Hikari heard knuckles cracking menacingly.
“No,” a second voice boomed. “We need information, remember?” She heard the other monster sigh.
Hikari wondered who these monsters were. But she frantically remembered Ayame falling to the ground. She was shaken awake before she got a chance to think.
“All right, human, what are you doing outside your city?” the big scaly creature growled. His horns jutted down at a slant, making him look like a ram. But his teeth told another story, one filled with blood and flesh.
“Who are you?” Hikari managed to squeak.
“Hah, as if you don’t know!” he growled. “I am a soldier of Zanarak the Great, the Destroyer, the Conquerer, who claimed this world and your kingdom as his own! Now speak, before I gut you like a fish!”












Chapter 3:
“Ayame,” Hikari telepathically connected to Ayame, “Can you hear me?”
“Hikari?” came the response, “Oh, they captured me and shoved me in an awful box!”
Sikkals also shared the ability to connect telepathically to humans after a great bond was formed between human and Sikkal.
“Ayame,” Hikari told her, “I have a plan. If you can see the creatures, look at their waists. One of them has the key to our locks. Grab it with psychic energy and come to me. We’ll fight our way out of here!”
“Oh, great, here we go,” Ayame sighed.
Hikari kept the two ugly creatures busy. “I... I’m out to collect berries for my... my family,” trying to convince them she wasn’t an enemy of their master.
“And we’re supposed to believe you?” the larger of the two growled, “Come on, you’re coming with us.” The two monsters picked her up, and Hikari noticed the key was missing. She smirked.
“Not likely!” she shouted with a laugh as Ayame lifted them up in the air with her psychic energy.
The monsters dropped Hikari in astonishment, just as Ayame threw one of them into the sky, flying toward the moon like a water dove in the night.
Stunned, the other scaly monstrosity fell on his side. Hikari took action immediately, shoving her dagger into it’s head. The reptile let out a piercing screech, and crumpled inward.
“Never underestimate the insignificant,” Hikari calmly recited an ancient Ibopyran proverb.
Hikari walked to a stream nearby to wash her blade off. “Let’s move on,” Ayame wisely said, “There may be more of them following, and they might be more cautious about tracking us once they see their fellows dead.
“Yeah,” Hikari panted, “But I wonder who they were....”
“Were you just distracting them,” Ayame mockingly asked, “Or did you actually listen to their answer? They work for that evil dusk dragon, Zanarak. You know, the dragon this whole quest is based on? The dragon that has been continually threatening your people for years? The dragon we’re trying to kill?”
“They could have been lying to sound more intimidating,” Hikari retorted.
All the same, the two travelers pressed onwards.






Chapter 4:
“We’re getting close to the first altar,” Ayame panted. “But if Zanarak has guessed our goal, it’s sure to be well guarded.”
“Yeah, I know,” Hikari voiced back.
The two were racing towards the Peak of Devastation, where ancient spells were said to still thrive. At the top was believed to be an ancient temple worshipping the holy relic of “The Insignia of Shadow.” Hikari needed that relic to form the liquid element of darkness, part of the only weapon that could harm Zanarak.
Presently they passed into the forest that surrounded the mountain. Ayame smelled sulfur in the air, and wondered what could be causing it.
“I think this would be the perfect place to set an ambush, don’t you?” Hikari whispered.
“I sense no danger,” was all the answer she got.
The partners reached the base of the mountain. A sheer wall of rock was what it really was. They’d never be able to climb it.
“There must be some way up!” Hikari said. “The tales tell of the monks who climbed this peak!”
“Let’s walk to the other side of the mountain.” Ayame said.
But the two stopped as they saw a huge wave of smoke roiling down from the peak. The wave struck them, pushing them back a few feet. Suddenly everything clicked into place.
As a wave of hopelessness swept Hikari, she realized several things at once. Zanarak didn’t need guards for this place. No human could climb this mountain. The Insignia of Shadow protected itself, by making everything lose hope. Without hope, Hikari could barely move.
“I remember that the monks who climbed this mountain possessed the liquid element of light,” Ayame squeaked. “Maybe we should retrieve that first.”
“Yeah, anything is better than this,” Hikari panted. The pair crawled away from the dark monolith of a peak.















Chapter 5:
A hiss of anger erupted from the rear of the cave.
“They got away, and you were flung into the air by a mere Sikkal? What was you training for, soldier? You are worthless to me, except to stave off hunger.” Zanarak took a breath, and sprayed the screaming Xwinok with a torrent of flames. The work completed, he snapped the corpse up from the ground.
“Foolish creature...” he hissed. Zanarak stalked to the entrance of the cave of black rock, and deposited the bones of his meal on the ground, with others of their kind. He reared up on his hind legs, and roared with all his might to the desert below. His voice echoed among the dunes for several seconds, and gradually his army began to arise to his call.
A little black horned Nicarian scurried up to the cave. “You called, master?”
“Yes,” Zanarak grumbled, “Gather all of your soldiers this time. This human killed two of your soldiers when they were alone. Not only that, but they also were just at the base of the black mountain, and very nearly succeeded in overpowering the evil spell that protects it. Send guards to all of the uncovered temples, and send scouts to find the rest.”
“Yes sir!” the Nicarian responded. He scampered down the mountain. Zanarak stomped back into his cave, going to the back of it. A hole gaped there, twelve feet in diameter, not enough for Zanarak to fit in.
He reached a fist in the hole, fishing around. He grasped something that felt like death itself, frozen to the touch. Zanarak pulled out his talons.
Grasped in his claw was a pit droth, a snakelike creature whose teeth burned like ice to the touch. A very deadly creature, especially to insignificant humans. I struggled in his iron grip.
Sintilia,” Zanarak whispered. The eighty foot long droth stopped thrashing, caught by the spell. “Go to the human,” Zanarak ordered. “Claim her blood...”
















Chapter 6:
Hikari recovered very slowly from the spell of the mountain. It’s effects devastated her, and only the memory of her family’s strained smiles as she left kept her alive. “I will survive for them,” Hikari whispered to herself.
Hikari and Ayame trudged through the underbrush toward their next destination. “There it is,” Ayame said, “The Plains of Earth!”
The air smelled sweetly of rosemary, especially near where it grew in stunts. The whole area had an aura of life and growth to it, and it made Hikari completely forget about the endless torture she just survived. This place has healing air, Hikari thought. Why didn’t we settle here instead of on the dark fields of Plume?
But she saw the answer- this sacred land would allow no human habitation on it. This place is pure, unmarked by humans. And so it shall stay that way, as long as the ancient Earth spell held.
“The temple of Earth is in the center, Hikari,” Ayame breathed. “We need to move on.”
“Yes,” was all Hikari could muster, overwhelmed by the beauty of the place. The pair moved on, and soon a great monolith of a building rose up from the horizon. On closer inspection, it wasn’t a building at all. It was a stone formation born from the Earth, with one purpose: to house the Earth’s Mantle, the holy relic that was needed to create the liquid element of Earth.
“Hopefully,” Hikari started, “we won’t be stopped again.” She was thinking about the wave of hopelessness that swept the pair at the Peak of Devastation.
“No,” Ayame said, “The Earth is a much more stable and peaceful element than darkness, which is both unstable and dangerous. The worst we will face is a test to see if we are pure enough to take the relic.”
Good, Hikari thought, I don’t need any more weight placed on my shoulders.
Hikari and Ayame strayed into the temple, knowing nothing about the presence that stirred within upon them stepping on the sacred ground of the Earth’s dust.












Chapter 7:
Trudging through the salty dirt, Hikari and Ayame slowly made their way down an Earth-riddled passage, admiring the beauty. They spoke little, a silent agreement not to disturb the peace.
Presently they came upon a large sandstone door. Hikari couldn’t help but notice the wall of magically reinforced pure crystal that stood before it.
“Well,” Ayame promptly stated, “this presents a problem.”
“No,” Hikari said, “look here, there’s an inscription. ‘To pass the barrier of crystalline Earth, one must best the Earth itself...’”
“Well,” Ayame sarcastically replied, “That explains everything! We know exactly what to do now!”
Hikari sighed. “Let’s just wait for something to happen, I guess.” The pair stood for a long time, always alert for danger. Hikari yawned, and leaned against the inscription. The words started to glow like fire.
“Whoh!” Hikari jumped, “something’s happening!” The ground shook, cascading dust fell from the ceiling. At the center of the room, a pile of dirt rose menacingly up from the bowels of the Earth, cracking as it grew. In a dramatic fashion, an earthy hand, with four fingers but no thumb, rose up from the center of the pile, followed shortly by a rocky arm.
Hikari and Ayame were frozen in fear, not knowing what was coming, but knowing that there was no escape now. Soon, a whole bulky humanoid creature had emerged, formed entirely by nature.
“A golem,” Ayame breathed, “By Europhor, it’s a golem!”
The golem shifted, taking a step closer. It’s vine-covered arms extended outward, grabbing the terrified pair. It squeezed, veins of ore pulsing with life. And yet, they felt nothing. The golem gave a final effort, the dropped them.
You are pure... a voice came to them, supposedly from the golem, You have bested the Earth... It stepped forward, and touched the wall of crystal. The wall shrank into the ground, disappearing in the same instant that the golem, made of the pure Earth, crumbled into dust.
Again the voice: Pass now. You have my holy protection. The Earth’s Mantle is yours.












Chapter 8:
“We have the Earth’s protection,” Ayame mused, “We must really have it’s respect!”
“Yeah,” Hikari bluntly said, still trembling. Both of them passed into the next chamber. As soon as they entered, a bright flash blinded them. As it died, Hikari noticed a pentacle on the ground. More importantly, a shining hilt of a sword floated in the center, four feet off the ground.
The Earth’s Mantle. The sandstone room seemed to scream it’s name. Hikari approached the pentacle, feeling at awe of being so close to an artifact of this power and magnitude.
As she got near the hovering hilt, a shaking filled the room. Hikari jumped back a pace and drew her dagger, ready for anything. A ring of cracked Earth rose around the pentacle, rising at a steady rate. One part of the ring rose higher than the rest. From this soil rose a blue-grey snake head, with eyes glittering with dark intelligence.
“That’s a--” Ayame stuttered, “--a... a pit droth!” Hikari gasped. A pit droth was a creature of legend, ranging from anywhere in between sixty to eighty feet long. It’s touch brought instant death to a human, with teeth that burned like frostbite. What it was doing in a warm, sacred place like this Hikari could only guess. It was far away from the dark, damp caves that suited it.
By now the pit droth had completely emerged from the ground. It lifted it’s head, tasting the air with it’s forked tongue. It suddenly lashed out, deadly teeth clashing together where Hikari had just nimbly leaped from.
Hikari landed on the ground, jarring her ankles. She leaped again as the droth swiftly turned in pursuit. Hikari noticed that the droth was only focused on getting her, and ignoring Ayame. She decided to turn this to her advantage.
“Ayame, get the Mantle!” Hikari shouted. Ayame floated over to the pentacle, and drifted inside. She took hold of the hilt. “Throw it to me!” Hikari yelled, dodging to the side again. Ayame chucked the hilt neatly into Hikari’s palm. “Unleash yourself,” Hikari whispered.
A surge of Earth energy escaped from the hilt, forming the shape of a sword blade. Hikari swung it experimentally, and turned to face her foe.












Chapter 9:
The pit droth studied Hikari. She was a nimble opponent, swerving and dodging. He had never seen a human this fast before. Usually, a human would stand in one place frozen in fear. The girl was turned to face him now, and she had the thing he had come to protect. Things will get very interesting very fast.
Hikari stood, panting. The energy it took to summon the power of the Mantle had been immense. The pit droth was still. She wondered why it didn’t attack.
Teeth clashing together on empty air again, the pit droth gnashed it’s teeth in frustration.
Hikari was panting with exertion now. She summoned up enough energy to breathe a few words. “May the Earth enfold you in it’s graceful arms.” The Mantle seemed to glow brighter with each word spoken, and flared with light at the end of her sentence.
The ground around the pit droth bubbled upwards, as if a giant cat was lazily arching it’s back. The pit droth realized its danger at the last second, dodging forward one heartbeat too late.
A rent in the ground opened, quickly swelling to a crevice which burst upwards and enveloped the beast, smothering its entire body up to the head. Its dodge forward had saved it from suffocating in the tomb of Earth, but left it stuck, unable to move.
This maneuver had left Hikari stunned. She swooned, overcome by fatigue. Ayame drifted over, connected to her through a psychic link. Ayame lent Hikari some of her energy.
“Thanks, Ayame,” Hikari said. She leapt up to the mound of Earth which the pit droth was buried beneath. She raised the Mantle, and swung down upon the neck of the beast. The blade didn’t even nick the snake’s hard carapace.
“We could just leave it,” Ayame suggested.
“No,” Hikari said, “It could break out and pursue us. We don’t need any unnecessary surprises.”
Realizing she had to cast another spell, Hikari crawled down to the ground, careful not to get too close to the jaws of the snake. “Crush thy son of ice and darkness,” she whispered. She saw the Earth rise up and crush the serpent. It let out a death screech. At that piercing sound, the fatigue overtook Hikari, and she gladly let the blackness fill her vision.









Chapter 10: Flashback
The line of children extended back for miles along the city streets. Hikari and her family had been waiting for hours in the line, waiting for their turn with the Orb of Purity.
The Orb was the only thing protecting the people on the planet, with it’s light piercing darkness like a holy lance. Even now, as Hikari looked up at the dreary sky, she could see Zanarak’s patrols flying through the clouds, looking longingly down at the gathering crowd, hoping for a meal.
The Ibopyrans were the only race of humans on the planet now, protected only from Zanarak by chance, digging up the Orb only a few hours before Zanarak struck.
Prophecies dictated that the Orb would dim every one hundred years, and would go out completely on the ten-thousandth.
This day was the nine-thousand, nine hundred and ninetieth year. On this day the first half of the Prophecy would be fulfilled, as a warrior of the humans would be chosen by the Orb to revitalize the Orb and destroy Zanarak ten years from this day.
Hikari was eleven years old at the time, living a fairly happy life with her parents and her twelve-year old brother, who was also waiting in line.
Hikari was shivering with anticipation. The Orb hadn’t chosen anyone yet, and her turn was coming up soon. She might be the one!
They rounded a corner as the line moved up suddenly, and there it was! Shining, leaving no shadow free, bouncing dazzling light off every surface, the Orb didn’t look very dim to Hikari. However, she knew that in ten years, it would throw light no more, unless the warrior could save it.
The family before them went, and then it was their turn. The eldest child always went first, so Aiso put his palm on the Orb. Nothing happened. Aiso backed off.
“Go on, Hikari,” her father whispered. Hikari nervously stepped forward and placed her hand on the Orb. Nothing seemed to happen. Hikari tried to pull her hand away, but it was stuck. Then, with a great flash, the Orb of Purity flared beneath her fingers.














Chapter 11:
“Hikari...” She heard the voice, but she didn’t want to wake up. There was a deep ache in her head.
“Hikari!” A sharp thump on her head woke her up rather quickly. She sat up, suddenly noticing the ravenous thirst that raged in her throat.
“Water!” Hikari croaked. Ayame silently passed her the water, and she drank it all down in a few seconds. Looking down at the mess of rubble where her head had lain, she asked, “So, you smashed a rock on my head to get me off the ground?”
“It was only a small one,” Ayame admitted, “and besides, if you were asleep any longer, you would have died!”
“How long have I been asleep?” Hikari asked frantically.
“Oh, about sixty hours, maybe more,” Ayame calmly said. “But three days is all it takes...”
Hikari panted. “Let’s get out of here.” She picked up the Earth’s Mantle, and they both walked out of the temple, stopping often to give Hikari a rest. They finally got out of the temple and out on the soft grass just outside. Ayame spotted a copse of trees, and they both entered the shelter.
“Bolster berries!” Hikari exclaimed, as she saw bunches of them hanging off tree branches.
“Wow, I feel revived!” Hikari said, after several minutes of picking and eating the berries.
“How do you think bolster berries got their name?” Ayame asked. “They give energy to the weary and worn.”
After a few minutes of exploring the woods, Hikari found a small pond, and filled their water containers to the brim. As she looked up, she saw something that shocked her.
“Hey! It’s a house!” Hikari breathed. She called Ayame, and proceeded into the open dwelling.
Hikari heard Ayame outside. “Hikari, be careful, it could be...” She floated in. “Warm and comfortable,” she finished weakly.
“It must be from before Zanarak invaded,” Hikari said, “and it’s abandoned now.”
“Don’t be stupid,” Ayame started, “Zanarak invaded ninety nine hundred years ago!”
The voice came from right behind Hikari. “What are you doing in my house?” It thundered.








Chapter 12:
Hikari slowly turned around, hand on her dagger. She caught a glimpse of an old man with gray hair going white and falling out. Then, like a striking snake, his fist lashed out, catching Hikari in the stomach.
Hikari crashed against the wall, and fell to the floor. That was too fast! Hikari thought. I didn’t even see it coming.... For an old man, that was a strong punch!
Through a red haze, Hikari saw Ayame sneak up behind him. Ayame lifted an arm, extending her claws. The old man heard the claws sliding out, and swung his fist around to catch Ayame off guard.
A second too late, his punch glanced off Ayame. Ayame slashed diagonally through his shirt while flying backwards, cutting him to the ground, bleeding. Ayame floated down, holding her bruised shoulder.
Hikari got up and staggered over to her fallen friend.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
“I’m fine.” Ayame grunted.
“I wonder who this man is...” Hikari said, “and why he is still alive. Living outside the range of the Orb, Zanarak should have found and killed him by now.”
“Let’s tie him up and question him...” Ayame said. Hikari found some rope and tied him up, then woke him with the hilt of her dagger, rapping him on the head.
“Wha--” he started, then noticed he was a captive. “What are you doing here, girl?”
“We want some answers,” Hikari said, “and we want them now.” She waved her dagger threateningly in front of him.
“Hah, you think you can torture me with that? It’s just a beat up kitchen knife!”
“Would you be afraid of this, then?” Hikari asked, pulling out the Earth’s Mantle. She whispered, “Unleash yourself,” and the Earth energy spilled from the hilt, once again forming the blade of a sword.
The man grunted. “So the one who was chosen by the Orb has finally come. Hah, you even have the Earth’s Mantle! My name is Xeriathas. Free me and I’ll teach you how to use those artifacts correctly!”












Chapter 13:
“Don’t do it, he might be a spy for Zanarak...” Ayame said.
“Hah, I can prove I’m not. The Earth’s Mantle is a symbol of purity,” Xeriathas started, “and it won’t harm the pure. Go ahead, gore me.”
“Your mistake...” Hikari said. She swung the blade around, building up momentum, and stabbed it clear through his chest. There was something wrong, though. No blood was forming on his chest, and there didn’t seem to be any resistance when the blade traveled through the body. She drew out the sword.
The old man touched his chest. “See, completely unharmed.” He was right. His shirt was torn where the blade struck, but the skin beneath was unmarked. “Does that prove it to you?”
“No... but we’ll let you free, with the condition that all the weapons in this hut are taken care of.” Hikari said.
“Yes, fine, fine. But take care with the silverware, eh?”
Unfortunately for the old man, Hikari’s method of disposal included several loud crashes, a decent amount of thick vines whipping around, and a crevice in the floor.
When all was done, Hikari dusted off her hands and collapsed on a chair. “Ayame, untie him, will you?”
Ayame drifted over to the man and sliced open his bonds. The man didn’t move from his position, staring at the crevice.
“My.... My.... My house!” He finally regained his voice. “Look at what you’ve done!”
“Sorry about that. I needed to make sure you weren’t hiding anything,” Hikari bluntly said.
“The silverware?” he asked.
Hikari threw open a drawer. “A little bent, but otherwise all right.” She tossed a few crumpled balls of twisted metal at his feet.
Xeriathas took a deep breath. “All right. Do you want to know how to control these artifacts? I’m a sort of expert at the history and uses of them.”
“That’s what I released you for, isn’t it?” Hikari asked, twirling the Earth’s Mantle in lazy circles.
“You’re an arrogant little child, aren’t you?” he asked. “No respect for your elders...”
“Are we going to get on with this, or what?” Hikari impatiently said.
“Fine, but you’d better sit down. This is a long topic,” he said.









Chapter 14:
“All right, the first thing you’ll need to know is that each time you use one of these artifacts, it consumes energy,” Xeriathas said. “If you use up all of your energy, you’ll pass out. That could be bad in a dangerous situation. You have already experienced that, considering your state. Some artifacts take up more energy than others. The Earth’s Mantle is one of the least consuming artifacts there are, because it’s of a stable element.”
“There are ways to increase your energy level so you can use more spells, but they require concentration, which you may lack.” At this point Hikari scowled.
“The easiest of these methods is called ‘Sortai-forgom’, basically performing spells constantly until your energy level naturally increases. You might be able to do this method, because you seem to have quite a bit more energy to start with than most children your age.”
“My parents trained me.” Hikari said, “They knew that I’d need it someday.”
“I see,” he said, “I’m going to show you something no one else has ever seen. This will help you understand Earth better.”
He waved his hand through the air, a slow arc. He then brought his palm down on the floor of the hut, and the area below his hand glowed with an inner light. The ground suddenly buckled, throwing Hikari out of her chair. The ground underneath Xeriathas bubbled as if it were water, and he sank into it, disappearing from view. The ground stilled, hardening once more.
Hikari stared at the spot where the old man stood only moments before, stunned. All of the sudden, there was a rushing sound, and Xeriathas burst from the ground, spewing molten hot shards of Earth everywhere. Just before they hit Hikari, they stopped, hardening in to rock right before her eyes. Xeriathas lightly touched down, and pointed at one of the floating rocks. He gave a sharp command, and they flew to him, falling into place in the gaping hole in the floor. The rocks started melting once again, and in a few seconds the floor was just as flawless as before.
Hikari’s jaw dropped. “You’re... You’re...”
“An Earth Sage? Yes...” he whispered, brushing off his cloak. “I live close to the Plains of Earth, studying them every day. I am kept safe by the Earth, as I protect it in return. I did this in harmony for many years, until that one day, where darkness started spreading across the Earth...”
“The day Zanarak invaded...” Hikari said. “But that was over nine thousand years ago!”
“Yes, and a long nine thousand years it was,” Xeriathas said.
There was a crash outside, followed by a dull roar.





Chapter 15:
“Oh no, they’ve found me!” Xeriathas exclaimed, rushing to the window. “They must have detected the energy in this hut when I released the spell!”
“Who?” Hikari asked.
“Zanarak, and his spawn. The foul creatures!” he raged. “Listen. I want you to take your weapons and run. They can’t get a hold of you! Seek the next Temple, the one hidden in the Volcano to the north. Find the Inferno Sage, and the Molten Frame, and continue your journey!”
“What about you?” Hikari asked.
“I’ll be fine, I have the protection of the Earth! Go!”
Hikari fled the hut with Ayame close behind, running for the safety of the Plains. She glanced back at the hut, and her jaw dropped in surprise. Behind the small house rose a menacing figure. Fire suddenly burst from it, illuminating it in a red glow.
It was a dusk dragon, one of Zanarak’s children. Though the fire was aimed in the air as some sort of dragon’s battle cry, it arched back down to the ground in an unnatural angle, straight down on to the hut. The hut quickly caught alight and spread across the roof.
Hikari took a step toward the house, thinking to help the Earth Sage, but at the last second turned and ran. She ran all the way to the Plains of Earth, Ayame trailing behind. She crossed the border onto the Plains, marked by a sense of peacefulness despite the circumstances.
“We’re safe here, Ayame.” Hikari said. “The dragon won’t come near the Plains.”
“The pit droth was able to attack us here!” Ayame exclaimed. “Why not the dragon?”
“The pit droth was under a spell. Why else would it have come here? It lives in the desert mountains of the west, deep underground in the cold rock.” Hikari explained.
The two crouched there, ready to flee if anything happened. The dragon sustained his fire for over three minutes. Hikari thought for sure that the old man was dead by now. Then, without warning, a pillar of Earth rose up from beneath the dragon, engulfing him. The pillar contracted, crushing the dragon in it’s grasp.
Hikari sat, glad and surprised that the old man lived. She saw movement on the ground in front of her, forming into a face, the image of Xeriathas. It spoke to her. “Hikari, quickly, get into the temple! Hoards of dusk dragons are about to fly overhead!”







Chapter 16:
Hikari rose from the rocky ground, and bolted to the Temple, Ayame trailing closely behind. They both heard the roars behind them, frantic screams of pursuit. The dragons had seen them.
Now in the temple, Hikari swerved around a corner, pressing herself against the wall. Ayame shot around the corner, braking herself with her claws against the sandstone wall. Both of them waited quietly, listening for the roars to sound again. Hikari peeked around the corner. All was quiet in the corridor.
A scratching sound reached Hikari’s ears. It turned into a rapid clicking, followed by a screech that sounded like death itself. A wave of cascading rock crumbled onto the area in which Hikari and Ayame had just been standing. They had quickly dashed out of the way, just avoiding it.
Hikari peeked up through the hole in the ceiling, seeing a dusk dragon hovering above the Temple, a murderous gleam in its eyes. It opened its mouth, horrible teeth shining yellow, saliva dripping from its tongue. A stream of smoke burst from its throat.
Hikari’s eyes widened. She quickly ducked back under the stone, turning to run. She was a few feet away from the gap in the ceiling when the fire came pouring down from the heavens. It was a malevolent black kind of fire, seeming to follow Hikari’s every move. Ayame drifted ahead, scanning for an escape route. She waved Hikari towards a room up ahead, the Sanctuary where the Mantle was held.
Hikari ran through the opening, panting. At the door, she swung the Mantle in a deadly arc, before slamming the sword down into the fresh soil, burying it deep. The wall of crystal once again rose up to meet the frame of the opening, sealing them in.
The black fire hissed on the outside of the door, seeking a way through. Finding none, and with nothing to feed on, it dissipated into nothingness.
“How did the dragon manage to get onto the Plains?” Hikari gasped. “I thought this area wouldn’t stand for evil on it’s grounds!”
“The Plains are filled with the Earth element,” Ayame said, “and can’t protect against something that’s in the air... We have to drive it to the ground, somehow.” Just then, a tremble roared through the ground. Hikari was unbalanced, and fell. The death screech of a dusk dragon wreaked havoc on Hikari’s eardrums. A voice filled her head.
Come to the Plains. I need help!







Chapter 17:
“Did you hear that?” Hikari asked. “That voice...”
“Yes, I heard it... Should we trust it?” Ayame muttered, attempting to look through the crystal to see any enemies outside.
“It sounded familiar...” Hikari said. “Yes, I’m sure it’s friendly, whatever it is.” She stepped forward to pull out the Earth’s Mantle. She put a hand on it, hesitating for a second. Then, bracing herself, she yanked the Mantle out of the hard, packed Earth. The wall of crystal retreated into the ground once more.
Hikari walked outside the room, Ayame trailing behind, nervously scraping her claws together. The pair proceeded to the gaping hole in the ceiling, and looked up through it. All was silent and clear. Adopting a stealthy pose, she stole along the corridors to the entrance of the Temple. As one, Ayame and Hikari looked around the walls.
All was silent outside. Pressing herself against the outside of the Temple, she sidled along, peeking around every corner before moving on. Near the back of the Temple, the sounds of battle reached her ears. She looked around the corner again.
She saw a cloud of dust everywhere, and a dusk dragon sending fireballs down to the ground. Suddenly, a claw of Earth reached up from the cloud of dust, grabbing the dragon and dragging it down. Hikari heard a screech, which was quickly cut off. The cloud of dust cleared, losing the sustenance that kept it, the wind from the dragon’s wings.
There in the clearing stood the golem, concentrating on strangling the dragon. A layer of Earth flowed up, covering the dragon’s upper torso, and dragged it down into the ground. At the last second, the dusk dragon let out a stream of fire directly at the golem. The golem reacted quickly, cutting through the fire with it’s fist, and delivering a crushing blow to it’s face. The dragon silently sank into the Earth.
The golem turned slowly. It’s about time you got here.
Hikari scowled. “I didn’t know it was you calling.”
The golem’s face scrunched up into what might have been a grin, but it looked more like a grimace to Hikari. Now you know. Xeriathas summoned me here, to rid the Plains of the evil that invades. Now we must work together, to bring the dragons down to the ground, and vanquish them once and for all! I am the Earth’s warrior, but my time is gone. After this threat is eliminated, I shall pass the title off to you. Let us go now, and destroy these foul demons!








Chapter 18:
Hikari straitened up, turned, and surveyed the area. Fires were burning everywhere, dragons circling the Temple and other places on the Plains. She took note of the fact that there were dozens of them, all looking for her.
The golem took stride ahead of her. It turned it’s head, echoing it’s thoughts into her mind once more. Come. The dragons are unaffected by Earth while they are in the air, but if they are dragged down... That’s your job. It sent images into Hikari’s mind, showing her what she had to do.
Hikari flinched. “I have to do what?”
The golem shrugged. It’s easy enough to understand. The hard part is getting high enough.
Hikari hesitated, but saw what needed to be done. She nodded. “All right, but cover me if they spot me before I can strike! I can’t defend myself while in the air.”
Of course... The golem sprung into action, falling onto all fours and charging towards the Temple. Hikari ran afterwards, trying to keep up as best as she could.
The golem reached the Temple, receded into one of the walls. Hikari reached it shortly afterwards. She wondered what to do. All of the sudden, a moss covered arm shot out of the wall, and opened palm upwards. Well, climb on already!
Hikari quickly jumped on the arm. Another shot out right in front of her, forming a little set of steps up the side of the Temple. She climbed on this one, too. The lower arm receded into the wall, and it emerged above her again.
Soon Hikari was sitting on the top of the Temple, trying to be inconspicuous as she crouched, waiting for a dragon to pass. She peeked over the low wall, with Ayame guarding her back.
Soon enough, a dragon decided to check the Temple again. It flew by, eyes on the ground, searching. Dusk dragon’s eyes are some of the sharpest you could find anywhere, being able to see anything clearly whether it was miles up in the air or right on the ground.
It didn’t expect the surprise that came from above.












Chapter 19:
Hikari jumped from the roof of the Temple, silently falling on to the back of the dragon. She drew the Earth’s Mantle, unleashing the Earth energy that laid within.
The dragon lurched, shocked at the sudden attack from the girl. It flipped around, trying to dislodge the shaken Hikari. As she was, she barely held on. Ayame was giving support, trying to steady the dragon with her energy.
Once the dragon was still in the air once again, whether it be from exhaustion or Ayame’s influence, Hikari raised the Earth’s Mantle. “Let gravity take all,” she whispered. So much energy poured from the Earth below that it was visible, as a green mist. The dragon gave a shriek, tried to resist the pull, to no avail. The dragon’s constrained wings gave a shriek, as muscle was torn apart trying to keep up in the air. It seemed to know what was going to happen if it hit the ground.
Hikari felt the same influence of the gravity. Bands of energy circled around the pair, pulling them downwards. One of the dragon’s fore claws touched down on the ground.
The instant it touched, the Earth rose up to engulf it. Quickly, silently, the Earth climbed up the foreleg and across the chest. The dragon struggled in the Earth’s grasp, but it failed to make any progress towards escape.
The dragon gave a screech, but it was small and feeble with the Earth so tight around its neck. It fell unconscious, fell into the grasp of the Earth, where it was buried forever.
Hikari jumped down from the sinking lump in the ground. She crouched, hoping any other dragons didn’t see. Too late.
A dragon, far off, was emitting rapid calls to the others. It swooped towards Hikari, jaws outstretched. It let loose with a stream of black fire, heading right towards the cowering Hikari.

Chapter 20:
Hikari ducked, stuck the Mantle into the ground. But it was too late. The dragon was upon her! All of the sudden, the golem burst out of the ground, shielding Hikari. Run, before the fire breaks loose!
Hikari remembered how the black colored fire before had chased her, seeking with an intelligent intent. Indeed, the fire that the golem was fending off right now was searching for a way to get through to Hikari, swerving left and right as the golem mimicked its movements.
Hikari turned and ran, wondering what to do next. There was a screeching sound of a dusk dragon behind her, and she spun around. The dragon was speeding towards the golem, trying to get rid of the blockade. The golem saw the dragon just in time.
The golem stabbed at the dragon with both of its fists, right through the fire. Most of the fire dissipated at the sudden attack, but some fragments were left. The stab from the golem effectively pummeled the dragon to the ground, where it was immediately engulfed.
The shards of the remaining fire, however, were on their way towards Hikari, no longer obscured by the golem. She ducked the first three, easily stabbed through and destroyed one with the Mantle. The other two needles of deadly heat, however, were too fast to retaliate to. There was no time.
Hikari jumped back in surprise as two good sized rocks came flying out of the side, dissipating the fire. At the same time, Hikari felt the searing heat of one of the flames she dodged earlier as it hit her back. She swerved around, ready to block the other.
Ayame shot out from the side, taking the fire full in the chest. She was knocked back into Hikari’s arms, as they both fell backwards. Hikari saw now that Ayame was the one who had sent the rocks to save her earlier. Now she lay smoldering in Hikari’s arms. Hikari felt tears in her eyes.
Hikari remembered the time when she had met Ayame. Ayame was a vagabond then, a thieving Sikkal stealing to feed herself. Hikari remembered the look in Ayame’s eye as she saw the light within Hikari’s heart, a look of the purest revelation. Ayame changed in that day, and was Hikari’s best friend from then on.
Hikari wiped away her tears with the sleeve of her shirt. This wasn’t the time for reminiscing! She stood up, turned around. There were dozens of dragons in the air above them, shooting straight for her. Hikari got angry then.
A red haze fell across her eyes. She set Ayame down, turned around. She swung the Mantle in an arc, and brought it down upon the Earth. The entire plains seemed to shift. Every bit of land rose up, towering in the air. Every dragon was engulfed, swallowed. Hikari collapsed with exaustion. She turned her head. The last thing she saw before falling into unconsciousness was Ayame, breathing peacefully.
Chapter 21:
Hikari stormed into the room, sat down in a furnished chair. She took a glace around the room, and sniffed with distaste. She never liked it here, it smelled like old men and politics. He was late again!
There was a noise outside, a banging sound. The knob on the door was turned, and pushed open. An old man with thin, white hair entered the room, muttering to himself. “Darn floor, with all of the planks sticking up... We have to get more wood to fix problems like this, but no one in their right mind would venture out of the protection of the Orb to get something as unecessary as wood...” He looked up, surprised at Hikari’s presence.
“The floor trying to kill you again, sir?” she asked mockingly.
“Why yes, yes it is,” he replied with a grin, spreading wrinkles across his face. “And how are you doing today, miss Hikari?”
“Oh, I’m fine.” She lazily brushed hair out of her face. “Still trying to get over the shock of being Chosen. Why did you send for me?”
“Oh, well there’s another matter that must be taken care of.” The man said with a sigh. Hikari groaned. “I know, I know you don’t like all of these adjustments, but they’re necessary.’
Hikari inserted some exaustion into her voice. “Well, what is it then?” She wanted to get this over with as fast as possible.

Wow, loved it.
I <3 dragons, even if they are evil. ;p

Thanks! I'm adding a plot twist very soon, methinks... I don't know for sure, though. My writing style is weird. I don't plan anything out, I just write stuff as it pops into my head, and correct any plotholes I find later. The next character introduced... Well, you'll see. I'll try and update as soon as possible, but I'm having a bit of a writer's block, coupled with homework and the traumatic death of my beloved 12-year long friend, my dog. (And Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. That game is great.) I haven't written much in a few weeks, but I'm going to get started as soon as I get some free time. Actually, with the way I have the plot set up, you probably won't find out what's going on with the next character for a while... But it's going to be good. Oh, and feel free to criticize. I need all the help I can get. Well, my English teacher says that if I expand upon this idea, and with the right sources, I could get this published! ^.^