The Black Sorcerer

[anokosa]

story I've been writing. dunno if its good, i jump into action too early i think. still, review people?

I'll post it later, when I can get on my home computer.


hope you enjoy =] (when I post it)

[anokosa]

Prologue
The land of Matr'achei was once ruled by the elves and dwarves. The elves were masters of magic and sword. They were faster then any living thing, much more intelligent and far stronger. They were powerful, magically, but slender, fragile looking, tall and proud. The dwarves were in contrast to this. The were short, shorter than any human, barely coming up to a humans waist, but were stocky, heavy and dense. They could wield a sword with exceptional skill, but could use little magic, and not as intelligent as the elves, though were superior to humans. They ruled without the taint of humankind for centuries, until a large ship, followed by many hundred's more. They colonised the country slowly, defeating the elves and dwarves not with skill, but with far superior numbers. Both dwarves and elves lived exceptionally long lives, and rarely were young seen among them, as having children was considered the most powerful bond of undying love, which rarely happened with their life expectancy. Humans, on the other hand, mated regularly, creating many people to fight and fill the country. They accepted the name the country already had, Matr'achei, and the leader of the assault declared himself king over the entire country. The elves fled into the forest, which they named Hitroero Lireinda, the Forest City, in elven language. The dwarves fled into the eastern mountains, which they named Bacro-Celsor, the Mountain City, in their own language. The humans ruled the rest of the country, unable to get into the solid mountains the dwarves lived in, nor the enchanted forest the elves had created. The King, King Elandeer, was one of the humans able to do magic. His magic was the strongest in his entire country, except for the elves, which had earned him the right of king. He had chosen an adviser and assistant who could also use magic, although nowhere near as powerful as Elandeer. The assistant, Fromreo, did the tasks the king was too busy to do, such as sorting out any duels of magic, or upkeeping the law, making sure everyone was trialed fairly, and the punishment was sound if they were found guilty, collecting taxes, while the king ruled, attempting to keep the country together, sorting out blood feuds, other major tasks. He sometimes had to intervene himself into a magic duel if Fromreo wasn't powerful enough. He wasn't very powerful, which made it difficult for him to tend to magical tasks, as he was often outdone. However, he was more knowledgable than any other human alive, except the king, which provided him with an advantage over other sorcerers. He searched for a way to increase his power, and confessed to the king about his sadness at his lack of power. The king secretly sent out a plea, asking all tailors who could do magic to create a cloak that gave magical power to it's wearer. After several months, a man came to the castle in Kilamano, the capital, and presented a cloak of black crushed velvet. It flowed like water over the king's fingers, who delightedly gave it to his assistant, under the pretence that it made him 'look the part'. The man told the king quietly that it did not give power to the wearer. The king burst into a silent fury at the man, until he explained he had instead designed it to make the wearer many times more powerful. He also gave one to the king of deep rich purple of the same material, saying his research proved that magic did not pass through bloodlines, so his descendants may not have magic. The purple cloak ensured that the king would be more powerful than his sorcerer assistant. He also gave him a deep crimson cloak, also of crushed velvet, but much shorter. The tailor said it was for the children, in order to train them in the arts of magic. The final gift was a blue cloak, designed for the instruction of the next assistant. The king paid the tailor a handsome reward, and offered him a place in the capital, which was full of talented people, who had worked well for the king. The man laughed, saying that moving from Turanti, a small fishing village, to Kilamano would be a large change, then accepted the offer, requesting that he be allowed to visit the village often. The king granted his request, and gave him a large house, close to the castle, with almost everything he wanted. He lived a life of luxury until the ends of his days, as did the king and his assistant. The king's son was taught magic with his crimson cloak, while his bodyguard was taught it with the blue one. The prince then ascended to the throne, gaining the purple cloak and giving his childhood bodyguard the black cloak, putting the red and blue cloaks into a safe, ready for his child and their bodyguard. This continued for many generations, each prince or princess being taught with the red cloak, while their bodyguard was taught with the blue one, then they ascended to king or queen with the purple cloak alongside their newly appointed assistant with the black cloak. Many generations later, the seventy second descendant of King Elandeer, the country began to fall apart. Cities fought, supply carts were burned, and the country fell into anarchy. Queen Lirenta had fell ill a year after being crowned and become unable to rule. Her sorcerer was unable to do anything, and the Regent had been killed in a surprise attack. No form of rule had existed since. Her daughter, Yejando, had succeded her, and slowly rebuilt the country using her power, and Matr'achei had begun to flourish again, when she died of unexplained means. Her sorcerer quickly taught her son magic and brought him to the throne. Both his bodyguard and the previous sorcerer stood beside him, the latter teaching him magic whilst he ruled. The country slowly built up again, and became loyal to him because of his efforts. He led the country for a time, producing two children. The eldest was his heir, while the younger became a backup if anything happened to his brother. Nothing did, and the younger brother moved to a small village in the mountains, leaving his former self behind. He sired two sons, and lived as a simple farmer, albeit one good with magic. All his bloodline became proficient at magic, as did the royal line, although the farm-line was not as skilled as the monarchy were. Many decades passed, until it was the eighty seventh descendant of King Elandeer and the fifteenth descendant of the younger brother. The Queen ruled a prosperous country, and the young farmboy excelled at farmwork, being more able at magic than his parents, and able to do the farmwork merely by thought and will. The young boy grew up over the years into a skilled farmer, with other talents, such as hunting. The crown passed to the Queen's son, and the country once again fell to anarchy, as the Sorcerer fell to the inevitable; he became power hungry and used his power for ill. The King was imprisoned in a cell below the castle by the sorcerer, who then resumed rule of the kingdom. The kindom fell into a terrible reign of death and destruction under the Sorcerer's Rule. The magic he used became dark and evil, and, in irony of the cloak's colour, he became known as the Black Sorcerer. The farmer, meanwhile, had heard of the doom that had befallen the country from travelling traders, and set off on a long journey, trough the Torwanto Mountains and to Kilamano, the capital, to free his country....

[anokosa]

Chapter One
Yajiranda looked up from his crops, irritated. Using magic was difficult, and distractions made it no easier. However, he was pleased to see the traders were here. They were late, though not so much that it made a difference. The traders brought news of the world outside the mountains, as it was difficult to get through. The traders thought it worth the effort, as the crops and lifestock from Xenoseis was some of the best. In return, the villagers got money and news, and the chance to meet new friends. Xenoseis was secluded, so the villagers were familiar with everyone else. Yajiranda ran to the traders camp, exhilarated. This had been his first year of farming alone, as his parents had died through the last winter. It would be their death aniversary in a couple of months. His mother had died first, due to the winter illness. His father had died soon after from grief. He had neglected food, and sat alone, weeping. Both had been in their late fifties, an extraordinary feat in Xenoseis. Most died in their early forties. Yet, his family seemed to have extraordinary long lives all around. His mother had been of the long life bloodline, his grandfather outliving her. His father had stayed alive out of sheer will. There were seven traders, one for each trade. Sareona dealt in grain. He knew all about grain, and normally praised Yajiranda's family's grain. Yajiranda went to him first, showing him the years produce. He scrutinised it delicately, then, grunting, handed over some coins. Looking over them, he saw, with glee, that Sareona had paid him more than he had ever given before.
"Where's your parents, son?" he asked gruffly. Yajiranda looked into his eyes. They were grey, like his father's had been. His face was rough and chiseled, all edges. He lowered his eyes to the ground before replying quietly.
"The winter took Mother. Father couldn't live without her. That's what took him," he told him. The trader gave him an apologetic look.
"This is yours, then?" Yajiranda nodded, feeling both hollow without his parents and pleased he had made good quality grain. Sareona patted him on the shoulder and passed him a few more coins, then pushed him towards the fruit trader, Jerobe. Jerobe was a fair woman, as was her sister, Kelate, who did vegetables. They were both beautiful women, yet were hard and fierce. The travels had made them tough, difficult. Yet they were nice also. They could soften when it was needed. Yajiranda passed his fruit to Jerobe, and vegetables to Kelate without speaking. They examined the offerings, then silently passed several golden coins to him. He was surprised. He couldn't be that good, or that much better than his parents had been.
"Everyone needs a little extra to start off with," Jerobe said gently. "Although, I don't think we must give away money. This produce is excellent!" Kelate agreed enthusiastically, making Yajiranda beam, despite being reminded of his parents deaths. He walked over to the meat trader, feeling nervous. His family had never raised animals before, and he didn't know how good he was. Yet the man seemed to think it acceptable.
"You Niita and Torgaita's kid?" he asked. He had a powerful voice, which threw shudder's through Yajiranda. He nodded, looking at the cow and pig he had offered. He passed him six silver coins, then moved onto the next customer. Yajiranda trudged home slowly, now out of things to sell. As he reached the corner which he took to ascend to his home atop one of the mountain slopes when a call rent through the air.
"Yajiranda, wait!" it called. He supressed a smile. It was his friend, Litrenko. She was the jeweller's daughter. Yajiranda had been shy of her at first. She was more suited to being Jerobe's or Kelate's daughter. She was as fair and beautiful as either of them, and as tough, unlike her mother, who was neither all to pretty or very headstrong. Yajiranda sometimes believed one of the twin sisters had given birth to Litrenko and given her to the jeweller, Quosandii. She caught up with him and looked at his face.
"You've changed," she told him. "You're face, it's different. Here, look." She pulled out a mirror from a pocket, and gave it to him. He examined his face, perplexed. It had indeed changed. It was thinner, yet more powerful. His jawline was distinct, and he could see the muscle in his neck from the constant work. He could do it by magic, of course, but it would leave him bored, and restless. He was shocked by his image. He hadn't seen himself since the previous year, when the traders were there. It was difficult to obtain a mirror, as they were expensive. Litrenko had got this one from her mother, and always showed Yajiranda what he looked like as the years went by. This was the most different of the lot. He gave her the mirror back, surprised. She smiled, and pulled him into a tight embrace. He looked at the top of her head, shocked. She had never hugged him before. She let go, and he raised a thick, dark eyebrow at her.
"Thought hugging was for soft people?" he asked, a touch of sarcasm in his voice. She shrugged.
"Gone soft," she murmured. Her voice was soft, quiet, yet entrancing, like the trees and birds singing in harmony. Her hair fell like a golden waterfall onto her shoulders, and her eyes sparkled with the green of the grass. Yajiranda was always surprised at how she came back, year after year, ignoring the other boys in the village in order to spend time with him. She had confessed once she liked him more than was needed, and he had returned the confession, blushing. Nevertheless, they had resisted, as they were almost always apart. They saw one another for a fews days a year while the traders sold their wares and bought the villagers', then they moved on. They spent some time walking through the small forest, the Litrenko returned home as the sun began to set. Quosandii and Litrenko normally spent the nights in the tents, but Litrenko begged her mother for some warmth and comfort. There was no inn, and no one but Yajiranda had space. The other villagers had children, and businesses to run, and could not afford two extra people. Yajiranda allowed them house space, giving them the empty master bedroom. The cottage had been built from scratch by his decendant many generations ago. Magic ran in the bloodline, powerful, almost as pronounced as the royal's, and the descendant had created the cottage from wood he had cut using his powers, then protected the house. It would not rot, nor be damaged in any way, and would only open to one from the bloodline. The king had got in, a few decades ago, but Yajiranda guessed that was because of his immense power. He invited the jeweller and Litrenko in - the only way one not of blood could get in was from invite - and made dinner. The three ate quietly, with little conversation, then Quosandii went to bed, leaving the two to talk late into the night. Yajiranda explained what had happened since the previous autumn, when the traders had last been there, then moved on to the deaths of his parents and how he began to make his own way on the farm. She listened without interuption, then put her arms round him when he was finished, and rocked him gently.
"And you've just carried on, working hard? How?" she asked, her voice shaking more than his. He shrugged, his face dark in the candle-lit room.
"I had to," he told her, quietly. "If I stopped, I would have starved..." A tear slid down Litrenko's face, like a diamond in the candle light. Yajiranda wiped away the streak of wet it left on her face, a sad smile playing on his lips.
"Hush, there's no need to cry. I've got by," he told her. He looked into her eyes, falling through the abyss of emerald, and held her to him. She raised her head.
"We've had it bad, too," she said, her voice forced still and calm. "The King seems to have given up. His sorcerer rules, and he's just letting the country fall apart. If this keeps up, we wont be.." her voice faltered. She took a breath, stilled her shaking, and spoke again. "We won't be able to come back next year. We'll have nothing. The country itself is falling apart. Crops seem to be dying. I'm surprised that Xenoseis is untouched. That's why everyone has bought so much. Nowhere else has anything....." Yajiranda stared, horrorstruck. Litrenko cuddled him, her tough exterior already melted away, revealing a powerful, lonely heart. He held her close for long minutes, then broke off.
"You have to sleep," he told he. He showed her to his room, and left her to go to bed. Before he could shut the door, she pulled it softly open, and kissed him lightly. He pulled away, surprised, then simply gaped as the door shut quietly, leaving him stood in an empty hallway. A door creaked open behind him; the master bedroom.
"You better take that to mean something, boy. She doesn't give her heart away lightly," said Quosandii, before shutting the door to ponder the events for himself.

He awoke early the next day, before the sun rose and began to work, ready for the next year. He planted seeds of grain, fruit and vegetables, as well as a grazing patch for the piglets and calf his previous animals had birthed. He watered the animals, then worked hard, making the soil perfect for growing the crops, and forcing the seeds into the soil. Litrenko watched from the door, which he was oblivious to until he dusted his hands off and headed towards the house. He stopped, looking her straight in the face, then turning away, abashed. She laughed, and pulled him into the house.
"We're leaving today," she told him. He looked at her, suddenly, his eyes wide. She shrugged, looking towards the master bedroom. She stared for a moment, then sat on a chair, sinking through the soft padding with relief. Yajiranda took a chair opposite her.
"You kiss me, give me hope, then tell me we get a day together?" he shook his head morosely. "You're a hard one, Litrenko." She chuckled quietly, and he did the same. Quosandii woke later, to find Yajiranda already working again on the cultivated lands.
"What are you doing?" she asked. "Litrenko says you have already done work today." He shook his head, pointing towards the main plot.
"I've done all the general stuff, but it needs constant attention for a few days, to make sure the seeds grow. So, I have to keep churning the soil." She nodded, and moved carefully over the ground.
"Listen, Litrenko isn't happy about us having to move early any more than you are. You must understand this, it is vital; All year, autumn to autumn, your on her mind, you, for some god forsaken reason, you are the one thing that gets her through the year, and all the past years. And if you simply shrug her off, you, boy, will be responsible for whatever happens because of it." She walked away, back into the house, giving Yajiranda many things to ponder. As he worked through the day, he felt the life of the seeds growing. Although he rarely used magic to work, he did like to know if they were thriving. He expanded his range, and detected many happy seeds. He smiled, eyes closed with the strain of the magic, as a large life form moved into his range. It approached closer and closer until it was upon him. He opened his eyes and saw Litrenko stood before him.
"Finished?" she asked. He nodded, and they moved into the house, out of the cool sun. She reminded him of the kingdom's state, and told him this would be the last time they saw one another. He nodded, restraining the howl of pain it caused in him. He could feel a lump in his throat, but his voice was fairly steady when he dared talk. He told her of the magic he could do, a minimal amount with only a small knowledge of the language of magic, the Kra'shak as it's true name was. He told her of how the magic had helped him sense the lives of his crops, to tell if they were healthy, and, if not, to heal them, gently applying the magic until it was alright again. It never wore him, as magic was supposed to, but simply made him feel as if he had jogged from his home to the shops; given his fitness, this was no feat. Litrenko listened intently, never interupting, until his tale was complete. She sighed, then looked him in the eye, for even while he had spoke, an idea had formed in her mind. She told him of it; that with his magic and physical strength, he could leave Xenoseis, leave the farm, and travel with her to Teitum. It was a great distance away, covering nearly all of the kingdom, but necsessary if he wished to stay with her. He frowned. She had never asked such a question before. Without answering, he inquired as to why she could not stay in Xenoseis. She simply shook her head, saying something about 'having other matters outside of Xenoseis', before asking him for an answer. He looked around helplessly. Xenoseis and farming were all he knew. Without them, he would be useless. And he had no crops to take with him. He silently picked up a slender bow with a quiver of well made arrows, and put them beside his chair. Silently, he knew, he had agreed with Litrenko; he had agreed to go with her, despite the torment he felt from it. When she saw him slowly collecting things that would be used on a journey, she whooped with joy and threw her arms around him. He shut his eyes in the bliss of the feel of her against him when he felt something as soft as rose petals brush against his lips. His heart roared with pleasure at her kiss, willing it to stay forever. It did not, leaving the sudden feeling in his chest to fade away to nothingness as they broke apart. She looked straight into his eyes, and smiled.
"For the first time in my life, one decent thing has finally happened," she said quietly, then once again pressed herself to him, leaving him to relish in the feeling of the strange bursting feeling in his chest. Quosandii's eyes glittered from the dark corridor, but no sound came from her. Yajiranda felt her there, felt her emotions rushing, a burning desire to stop her daughter from courting a farm boy, yet at the same time, a pleasure, a bright happiness that she chose someone decent. And a relief that the man she had chose was willing to throw away his life for her. She strode into the bright sunlight, a small smile playing on her lips. Litrenko looked at her and broke away from Yajiranda, fear in her eyes, fear of being thrown from her family, by courting without the knowledge of her parent. Quosandii walked slowly up to Yajiranda, then kissed his forehead whilst holding both his hands; the traditional welcoming into a family, normally done by the father. Litrenki looked at her mother, surprised, then slowly smiled shyly.
"Thank you, Mother..." she murmured, looking at the floor. Yajiranda returned from his shocked stupor, and finished the tradition, kneeling in front of the parent, and thanking her and kissing both hands. She smiled down at him, and helped him up, then he silently packed more things. After a while, he turned to Quosandii.
"A staff... I was wondering... Would I be able to bring a long-staff with me?" Quosandii frowned, then nodded.
"A weapon for close combat fighting would be appropriate," she said. "Archers only protect us a little. Only a few of us are skilled in close combat." Yajiranda went into a tall wardrobe and pulled out a length of polished ebony. Gold and silver snaked around it. It was of an elven design, virtually resistant to damage. Quosandii stared in surprise, then examined it closely. She commented on it's value and condition, telling him that, in it's almost perfect form, it would be worth several gold coins. She was disappointed that he would risk damaging it, then relieved when he told her of it's true power. She was also quite amazed that a simple farmboy had an elven staff. She returned the staff in awe and he strapped a length of leather around him, from his left shoulder to his waist on the right hand side, then slid the staff through a scabbard hanging along the strap. He adjusted the leather until it felt comfortable yet tight and held in place, marked the hole the pin that held it, and removed it. He dressed into travelling clother, a leather jacket for protection from most attacks, and simple denim bottoms. He went onto his parent's room, and removed a coat that streched to the floor, and a cloak. The cloak was a family heirloom. It was a beautiful material, black, soft, and warm. He folded it carefully, and put the coat on. Returning to the living space, he strapped on his staff and slung his quiver around his waist. The bow fitted on a carrying case on his staff scabbard, hanging perfectly within his reach. He picked up a few minor items, like his money, and stood in front of Quosandii and Litrenko. They admired him, then led him to the trader's camp. As they packed up their possessions, ready for the journey, Yajiranda said his goodbye to the villagers. He had become friendly with the blacksmith, who had helped make his bow; the innkeeper and bartender, who often gave him free beverages; and the butcher, who, through the years, had given meat to the family in dire times. They each gave their farewells to him, and each offered a leaving gift. The blacksmith gave him several arrows, the innkeeper/bartender gave him a keg of beer and the butcher gave him several parcels of meat. After collecting the gifts, he left for the trader's camp, and helped them pack their belongings away. Within a few hours, they were finished, just short of the sun's setting. Yajiranda cast a final look at the village he had, for so many years, called home. Litrenko wrapped her fingers around his and looked at Xenoseis from the slope of the Torwanto Mountains, admiring the beauty of the sun's red rays passing over the trees and houses. He turned away from her to hide the tears slowly snaking down his face. She pulled him round and wiped them away.
"Don't forget I've been through this, too," she murmured. "I have to leave home for six months at a time to make it through the Kingdom with supplies. In Teitum, it's a wasteland. Food is impossible to grow. We trade with other towns and cities, as we make money from jewels and metals we mine from the earth below us. It's full of them." He nodded silently, and slowly pulled away from her. She followed him back to the camp, where everyone seemed ready to go, waiting beside horses and carriages. Litrenko led Yajiranda to an intricately designed caravan with an beautiful black horse. Once inside, he took a look at the decor in awe. He knew trader's were rich, but this was unimaginable to him. The walls were a deep golden with crimson streaks and small patterns weaved with crimson, green, blue and black. The words "Metraso Keila Weelein" written around the walls in small black letters. Yajiranda turned to Litrenko, confused at the meaning of the words. She told him they meant "Shield this place" in the language of magic. He read them, fascinated, and memorised them, tucking them away in his mind for later use. Knowing the word for shield would be infinitely useful if ever forced to fight. He finally memorised the word and its pronunciation and settled down, wondering why on earth the ground seemed to be shaking. Quosandii saw his confused expression and laughed, explaining they had begun to move a while back. He rushed to the window, watching the road disappear around them. In the distance, through the large pinnacles of rock, he could see small lights, fires burning in the night around Xenoseis. He sunk slowly back into his seat, and buried his head in his hands. He wept for a while, then heard the door open and low voices talking. He ignored them, instead leaving himself to cry alone. After a while of the voices, he felt an arm wrap itself around his shoulders amd wept gently into the shoulders of whoever it was. The shoulder was slimmer and a little more bonier then Litrenko's, so he assumed it was Quosandii. He received a shock when he looked into the eyes of one of the twins, Jerobe or Kelate. A small scar under the chin identified her as Jerobe. He looked at her nervously, then at Litrenko, who looked lost as to how to comfort Yajiranda. Jerobe looked at him, her eyes sad yet understanding.
"Its always hard to leave home," she told him. "The first time is the hardest, yet it never gets easy." He nodded, not trusting himself to speak. Jerobe looked at Litrenko, her blonde hair flowing softly across Yajiranda's face as she did.
"Sorry for dragging you into this, Jerobe," Litrenko said, her eyes diverted. Jerobe laughed, and stood up.
"Everyone needs help sometimes," she replied, winked, then strolled to the door, pulled it open and leapt towards a carriage that ran alongside theirs. Yajiranda stared. The traders had thier own town, even whilst moving. The community was different to any others that Yajiranda knew of. While all towns were planted into the ground, the traders were almost like a mobile town. They moved for nearly half the year, then lived on the ground for the other half. He wondered if he could live like that, all his life. He caught Litrenko's eye and smiled slightly. She beamed back, then her smiled faded as she looked through the window and sighed.
"Just a few months left of travelling," she muttered darkly. Quosandii nodded silently, and lay down on a small, single person bed. Litrenko took a double bed, then looked to Yajiranda, mouth twisted in confusion.
"I suppose we can share the bed," she told him shyly, her face red. "We're stuck together for a few month now, so we can't exactly be shy of it..." Yajiranda looked to her, then nodded slowly.
"I'm going to stay awake for a while," he replied, his voice subdued as Litrenko turned the lights off with a small knob. The oil lamp flames got smaller and smaller leaving the room in a gentle dusk. "I reckon I need some time to think." Litrenko shut her eyes, then opened them, looking down at the floor. Even in the dark, Yajiranda could see her blushing.
"I love you," she told him quietly. He looked to her in surprise, then a small smile pulled at his mouth.
"And I you," he replied. Satisfied, she closed her eyes, and fell to sleep. Yajiranda waited until her breathing had become deep and soft, before looking away from her face, his forehead creased in confusion. "I just hope that's how it stays."

[Lord of the suspense]

wow thats absoutel amazing! A cross between narnia nd Lord of the rings, with your own unique touch. i cant wait to find out what happens next!

[anokosa]

well, you're about to get the next lot then


Chapter Two
The journey to Teitum was a long one, but mostly without event. In the final weeks of the journey, the archers who guarded the moving village strung the bows, and their faces became hard and determined. Yajiranda noticed after several days, and inquired as to why this was. It was Quosandii, not Litrenko, that answered.
"Around this time, and area, the residents of Unas attack. They are in as bad a condition as us, but do not have our resources. Thus, they ambush us, steal our supplies, and leave us to die. It is as if we must support two villages; our own, Teitum; and Unas. The archers are readying themselves to stop the assault." Yajiranda smiled grimly. So, this was why she had told him to bring the staff; to help fight the assault off. He was now betrothed to Litrenko, however, and could not, in good concience, leave her to be attacked. It was his responsibility to protect her, as well as the village he now belonged to. He nodded to Quosandii, then sank into thought. He wasn't very skilled with weapons. He was a simple farmboy. No, not farmboy. Farmer, as he had been for nearly a year. He cursed. He still referred to himself as a child, as if his parents still lived. He began to look for the staff, then observed it. It was long, obviously designed for battle, yet it never had been in one. His family had kept it as a decoration, refusing to let damage come to it. He slid it through his hands, feeling how smooth the wood was, even after it had passed through several generations. Quosandii watched him, interested, her eyes sparkling. He felt uncomfortable, but knew that he couldn't exactly train in private, considering they were constantly moving, save a couple of nights a week when they stopped to talk. He thought in depth about how he'd attack with the weapon, then began moving with it, strafing, advancing and retreating, until he had developed a style of attacking well, and with power, yet cautiously, and out of harms way. Litrenko watched him too, frowning in disapproval at his determination to defend the traders, as if one of them, or to prove himself to her. He ignored her, continuing to move, attack and defend simultaneously. After several hours of relentless training, he quit, and collapsed into a chair. Quosandii applauded enthusiatically.
"It has been a long time since we've had a show like that, bravo!" she told him, whilst Litrenko glared at him silently. He avoided her gaze, then, when Quosandii went to the toilet, sat beside her.
"What is wrong?" he asked her, quietly. She turned to him, her stare softening as her eyes met his.
"You have no idea, do you?" she asked in return. He shook his head and she chuckled sadly. "If you go to help protect us and fight, that means putting yourself in danger. I don't want to lose you already." Yajiranda averted his eyes, determined not to blush. Litrenko kissed him lightly, then smiled. "Promise me this," she said quietly. "Don't go dying on me." He laughed, then nodded.
"If that is all you wish."

A few days whindled past, with Yajiranda doing nought but train. His stamina slowly improved and he began to hold the sessions for longer. On the next meet, the fighters of the group gathered seperately and decided to practice among themselves. The twins, Jerobe and Kelate, were the only females among the group. The rest was comprised of the male traders, guards or people who came simply for the thrill of travelling. All looked tough and ready to kill. Yajiranda took his staff with him, but it was taken from him gently by the metal and wood traders. Only now did he see that they were brothers, the metal trader, Elantranto, being older than Neatroz, the wood trader. Both seemed as if they worked with weapons. Neatroz gave him a length of wood similar to the ebony staff, telling him there was no point breaking a good staff in training. Jerobe and Kelate were given blunt swords, the brothers picked up a length of wood with blades at either end, and the rest picked up weapons of their preference. Yajiranda noticed that swords seemed popular, while staffs were hardly touched. Elantranto seemed to be in charge, as he began barking orders to people. People began to settle into stances, and separate into pairs. Yajiranda was paired with a twin, and, noticing there was no scar under the chin, smiled at Kelate.
"Begin," shouted Elantranto, and used his bladed staff to attack Sareona. Kelate moved quickly, her sword moving through the air like a flash of silver light. Yajiranda moved hastily, bringing his staff up to block it. She hit the wood and brought it back, intending to hit his legs. He knocked the sword aside, struck her wrist and retreated. She frowned, then launched into a vicious attack, her sword moving quickly. Yajiranda watched the metal pick up small flickers of light, and saw it coming towards him. He smiled, ducked, and swung the wood at her legs. She fell, shrieking, and her sword flew from her hand. Everyone surrounding stopped, staring, then Jerobe stepped forwards.
"None have managed to best either of us before, Yajiranda," she told him, her eyes bright. "That you have managed it proves that you are skilled. I wish to test your abilities. You will battle both of us at once, and we will see how skilled you are." She pulled her sister up to her feet and gave her her sword, then they settled into an identical stance. In perfect syncronisation, they attacked, their swords parallel to each other. He hastily brought the staff up, blocked Jerobe's attack, then spun the length of wood to meet Kelate's sword. She moved fluidly, her weapon meeting his in a blur of silver, then moved and attacked again. Jerobe joined the furious onslaught, thier swords once again duplicate in their movements. He backed off, eyes wide, then pushed forwards. One strike sent Kelate spinning to the floor, then he dropped to the floor, brought the staff round in a circle and pulled Jerobe's feet from the floor. She crashed down, and there was a collective gasp from the onlookers. He stood up, warily, then let the staff drop to his side. Jerobe and Kelate rose from the floor, then bowed to Yajiranda, respectively.
"You are skilled, young man," Kelate told him, smiling lightly. Jerobe took his hand, bowed again, then sat on a nearby log. Kelate followed her actions and the sisters sat, side by side, while the group stared at him nervously. He sat down shakily, wary of the eyes following him. Sareona came to him, grinning, and offered his hand.
"No one has been able to beat either of the twins, let alone both at once. You are a skilled fighter." He nodded, than made his way back to Litrenko's carriage, shaken. When he arrived, he told her of his night. She smiled, pleasantly surprised, then frowned at the look on his face.
"You seem upset," she said, quietly. He nodded, then explained how he felt scared that he had beaten the two best fighters alone and took no damage. She listened to him intently, the glow that normally shone from her eyes gone, and thought about Yajiranda's fear. After a while, she opened her mouth, only to have his fingers place themselves over her lips.
"Hush," he told her, his eyes sparkling. He pulled her closer, and kissed her. They stayed together for several minutes, lips moving passionately in perfect syncronisation. They broke apart some minutes afterwards, both with their eyes shut. Litrenko opened her eyes first, and looked at Yajiranda. He opened his own eyes and peered into hers, feeling elated. She smiled coyly, and turned away. He took her hand, wrapping his fingers around hers and feeling hers tangle around his. Litrenko felt him shaking through their interlocked hands, and looked at him again. He was looking down, frowning, as if confused. He looked up and their eyes connected, until he looked away. He took a deep breath, and looked back again. She stared at him inquiringly, until he opened his mouth. He looked deathly pale and nervous. Adrenaline had slowly being ebbing away, but there was still enough in him, and even more pumped itself into him, as he prepared to ask the biggest thing of his life.
"Litrenko?" he said. She smiled slightly at him. "Would you do me the honour of...." He took another breath and plunged on. "..Of becoming ... my wife?" He sighed and looked away. Her eyes opened wide, unitl her eyebrows looked in danger of merging with her hairline. She took several short breaths before smiling.
"But of course!" she squealed with joy. She wrapped her arms around him, squeezing him, a grin across her face. Then, she looked at him. "But, you've already been welcomed into the family." He shrugged, laughing, and told her she may as well do it properly. He smiled, still shaking, and sat down, with her head resting upon her shoulder. She rested her head upon his, and closed her eyes blissfully. He followed suit, and his breathing slowly became that of a sleeping persons. After a while, Litrenko removed herself from him and settled into her bed. Quosandii watched from her own bed as Yajiranda snuffled and woke, his eyes bleary, and sat up. Litrenko was asleep, her breathing deep and slow. Yajiranda watched her, a small smile on his face, oblivious to Quosandii's watching eyes. She watched him just as intently, her eyes barely open from beneath the quilts and pillows. Yajiranda began to pace the small room, the earlier smile vanished under a mask of worry. Eventually, Quosandii sat up, and looked at him directly.
"Yajiranda," she said quietly. He turned to her, startled. She smiled, and stod up to face him fully. "You have done what most here consider practically impossible; you have defeated, not one, but both of the twins, simultatniously, and alone. You are scared, I can see it in your posture; your face is contorted and you do not sleep. Do not fear. Litrenko is beside you, and you are in a better position to defend her than any of us are. I repeat, do not fear, as we will fight beside you, for the same cause and to the same end." Yajiranda nodded, dumb-struck, and turned away. He could feel Quosandii's eyes burning into his back, as well as sense her. He finally turned back, his own eyes on fire.
"Quosandii..." he began. She nodded in acknowledgement, and he ploughed on. "I don't know about myself. Since we left Xenoseis, I've felt different. Like, I am no longer the boy who lived as a simple farmer. Who am I? Why must I venture forth into the unknown and face those whom i have no ill will against?" She considered his questions, her eys rolling around as she thought. Finally, she began.
"First, before I answer, you must understand that I had no will to bring you into the world. Nor did I wish for Litrenko to come again. She would be safe in Xenoseis, as it is too secluded and simple to be of trouble to the Kingdom. Yet, I have no choice. I must bring you with us, as I have a fleeting suspision that you are not who you believe. You have been feeling different in reaction to the magic in the Kingdom, which flows freely and more powerfully in the mainland rather than at the edges. As we got closer to the capital, you would have felt more and more of the magic, which would have seemed to you as increasing tension or anxiety. I know the ways of magic, at least to a basis, and so I can tell you this much, but the rest of the tale is not mine to tell. When we get to Teitum, you will finally understand your legacy." She sat down, with an air of finality about her and Yajiranda understood himself to be told as much as he could, and settled upon his makeshift bed, and dosed off.

The carriage rumbled along the road, when a scream rent the air. Litrenko sat up, producing two daggers from underneath her pillow, and sliding silently out of her bed. It was only when she stood beside Yajiranda, who was stood at the door, staff in hand and face fierce and determined, that anyone realised her presence. Yajiranda started at her touch upon his shoulder, then calmed, his attention returning to the door. The carriage had stopped, as had all the others, and men were leaping from them, weapons in hand, ready to face the opposition. The men of Unas were stood, behind trees, hiding in the dark from the armed traders. Fire-torches were thrown into the dry trees, which instantly set ablaze, revealing the hidden men, who leapt from their cover, swords in hand, and attack viciously. Yajiranda waited with Litrenko, as he had been told by the Twins. Until he was needed and called, he was to stay hidden in the carriage, ready to fight. Soon enough, the call came from Elantranto, a loud, gruff call, from a troubled man.
"Yajiranda! Your assisstance is required!" came the call. Yajiranda's face set into a snarl, and he leapt from the carriage door, staff twirling in hand as he flew towards the group of men. He struck, staff flying through one person after another as he ran to the side of Elantranto. The two stood, back to back, alongside the twins, who also stood back to back, as they cut their enemies down. The men of Unas attacked mercilessly, roughly made swords flashing in the firelight, as the travelling traders defended themselves. The twins seemed to be fine, so Yajiranda pushed himself into the throng of battle, black staff moving around him with deadly force. The bandits swung swords at him, but he moved fluidly out of harms reach, with the staff blocking and parrying whatever he couldn't avoid. The men seemed utterly amazed at his skill, as his simple clothes branded him an unable fighter. He fought on, his powerful farmer's arms forcing the staff to crack whatever bone it connected with, which easiy forced several men to die, as their skulls or ribs imploded. He moved on, cutting men down, killing most, as he went to protect his new family. He heard screams, and knew his side was losing. In a sudden fit of rage and adrenaline, power burst from him. Almost-transparent beams shot from him, as he let out a howl of fury, and the bandit men of Unas fell suddenly, as the beams soared through them. The beams passed harmlessly through the traders, in their atempt to kill all of the Unians. The traders stood spellbound in amazement, as the power radiated from the farmboy, his eyes glazed over and blank. As the Unas men fell, all dead, he seemed to return to his senses, utterly bewildered. The traders stood watching him, as he simply stood, unable to move in pure shock and horror at what he had just done. Jerobe was the first to approach him, several small cuts along her bare arms and legs, and gashes in her tunic, along her chest.
"You have... killed them all..." she began weakly, fear in her eyes. Kelate approached, equally scared.
"You used magic," she whispered. "You're a sorcerer... Why did you not tell us?" He shook his head, as more and more of the traders came to him. Litrenko pushed her way through, scared and shaking, a flicker of anger on her face.
"Yajiranda?" she asked. He didn't answer, his gaze on the floor. She put a hand on his shoulder, which he shrugged off, before walking slowly away. The crowd parted as he approached them, and didn't stop him disappearing into the burning woods. Adrenaline pumped through him hard, as he walked, his breathing heavy and heart fast. Flames licked him as he walked through them, then flickered from existence from his power. The fire in the woods subsided as he walked, until there was only charred trees remaining. Quosandii approached the crowd, a slightly angry gaze in her eyes.
"Go after him, you young fool," she barked at Litrenko, who jumped, hiding tears in her eyes, and fled into the woods after him. Without flames, he was invisible, but still she ran, calling his name, until she tripped on a root, and felt a hand pull her up. His face was still haunted, and he avoided eye contact. Litrenko knew why; he had unwillingly tapped a powerful magic potential, and sorcerers were all under the command of the king, willing or not. Another thing was sorcerers were not allowed to marry. They had to be completely commited to the king, or queen. He pointed at the dim lights of the camp, and pushed her away, and proceeded to walk away. Litrenko called back to the traders, and ran after Yajiranda. He looked back, face angry, and she stopped at his look.
"Go back..." he told her. His voice was hoarse from his unearthly scream. "You have no place with a sorcerer, and I have no place with you. I will run, and flee, until I find a place alone, where I can live without bother from the Kingdom." She shook her head stubbornly, and he heard a thought from her, without meaning to, "You are my love, and I will die beside you if I must," before she said it aloud to his face. He turned away, hiding a tear, as she ran back to the traders. She returned soon after, to find him gone. The traders had left, eventually, after much arguing, leaving her behind. Quosandii's parting words had been comforting, rather than cold.
"Stay with him, no matter what. He is a good man, no matter what he believes of himself." She would have heeded her, had he stayed where he had been. She wandered on, calling him, but encountered noone, besides a few animals that ignored her. She heard no sounds to suggest where he was, and she eventually broke down and cried, sat upon the floor of the forest. He silently approached her, and pulled her to his chest as she gasped surprised. She continued to cry into his chest as he silently held her, rocking slightly to comfort her. When she became quiet, he kissed her forehead lightly, and left again, staff in hand. She called out to him, but slowly came to understand he would not show himself unless needed, and left him alone to think. She fell asleep, comforted by the knowledge that he was watching her. He sat on a branch, staff strapped to his back with a bow enough arrows to hunt with for a few weeks, along with a hunting knife in one side of his belt and a sword on the other side. He climbed down the tree, left the sword beside Litrenko, so she could see it when she woke, and lit a small fire using a lot of dried wood and leaves from the floor under trees and stones to create sparks. He quickly took a deer down using an arrow, and cooked some food to sustain himself. He wrapped the spare meat up, and left in in a bundle beside the sword, so Litrenko had food, too, and left to find a suitable tree to sleep in. He had slept in a tree a lot as a child, wishing to be free of his parents. He regretted that now, wishing he had spent all his time with them, but that mistake now proved useful, he thought, as he climbed easily up a large oak, and settled across five intercrossing boughs. He shut his eyes, and fell into a troubled sleep, too drained of energy to reminisce about the night events.

He saw the traders in his sleep, moving, all troubled and wondering about what they had witnessed. Not many people had that much power. Only the king, the Black Sorcerer, and the elite sorcerers of the Sorcerer unit of the Army. He saw Quosandii, pacing her caravan, fear for her daughter flashing through her mind. He also saw a fear for himself there. The caravan was bare-looking, his possesions all gone. He wondered if she had disposed of them, then remembered a large pack Litrenko had. His things may be in there. His sleep gaze flickered to the others, to their thoughts, all the same; would the young couple be safe? As he looked more intently at the traders, he felt a gaze upon him, and looked towards where it felt it came from. He saw an eye hanging in the air, watching him. He gazed back, interested. It was only a dream, so this wasn't unusual. The eye blinked, then continued to watch him. He matched the looking, then decided to speak.
"I'm Yajiranda," he told it. It seemed to sparkle, amused.
"I know who you are, farmer," it replied, mouthless. The voice seemed to echo in his head. "You were a Xenoseis farmer, then a travelling trader of Teitun, now you are a self-proclaimed outcast. May I ask what you're doing?"
He considered an answer. "I'm dreaming," he said, unable to think of anything else. He heard laughter in his head. The eye blinked from existence, and he saw no more of it. He continued to watch the traders, until he woke up as a branch poked into his back. He sat up, stretching and yawning, and glanced to Litrenki, who was sat up in front of the embers of the fire, dappled morning sunlight flooding the floor. He saw the sword and meat had moved. No trace of the meat existed, while the sword was now strapped to her belt, ready for use. He sat in the tree, able to see her, but hidden from her view, and watched her, as her pondered the previous night. He was much calmer now, and less afraid, but still didn't accept himself, and still didn't reveal himself to Litrenko, who seemed to be searching for him. He stayed hidden, and watched her eventually give up, and prepare to move. He prepared himself, and began to move thorough the trees silently, following her perfectly. She walked through the day, encountering no trouble, and finally setting down to make camp. Clouds covered the moonlit sky, and Yajiranda knew instictively that rain was on it's way.He killed another deer, dropped from the trees, made a new fire, and cooked the meat, keeping the skin as he had done with the previous one. The two skins fitted together, once he interlocked them by pulling little shreds through small cuts he made, then tying them. It made a fair sized cover, and he put it over Litrenko to keep her warm. He routed through her pack, and pulled out a large bottle of oil, and smothered the skin-cover with it. It was a water repellant, and made the cover more suitable for comfort. Litrenko feigned sleep as he did all this, but opened her eyes as he put the skins back over her with the oil rubbed in. He noticed the glitter of her eyes, and turned away.
"I knew you wouldn't abandon me," she whispered, and took his hand gently. A small smile of bliss flickered on his face, then faded. She sat up, kissed him lightly, then lay down, using her pack as a pillow. He leapt into another tree, and fell to sleep again. Once again, he dreamed of the traders, watching them, as if he was floating above them, unless he wished to enter a caravan. He accidentally invaded the twins caravan as they were getting changed for bed, and left hastily as he saw their naked bodies. He sensed thoughts of concern from them, from Jerobe, a fear for her niece, and from Kelate, for her daughter. Yajiranda's suspisions were confirmed, but he swore to say nothing to Litrenko. He felt the eye watching him again, and turned to face it. It seemed to emit a smile to him.
"Back again, are we?" it asked. He nodded.
"It's only another dream though," he told it. It seemed to laugh again.
"You still have no idea, do you?" it asked. He shook his head confused. "You are scrying," it told him. "A skill only the most powerul can master. All this is real, I am real, although this is not my true form. My true form is far from here, and I am most powerful, although not in any position to use it anymore. You are an outcast, you made yourself like that. You know where the traders are, find them, go back to your family." He shook his head.
"I can't, dream eye," he told it. "I wont let them be hurt by this thing I can do." The eye looked disapproving, then it vanished. Yajiranda woke up, shaking, as the sun cast a weak pink glow around. His gaze flickered to Litrenko, who lay on the forest floor, several feet down, then he readied his possesions for another day of travelling. He moved sliently through the trees, until he was a fair distance from the sleeping woman. He heard her stir a couple of hours later, and prepared for movement. As he moved through the tree canopy, he considered the two dreams. Both had seen him following the traders, and in both, the eye had watched him, and in the second dream, remembered it's existence in the first. He slowly began to realise it might have been telling the truth, ridiculous as it sounded. The day gave him time to think through what the eye had suggested, then, as the sun began to set, his mind fixed suddenly. He dropped from the treetops, in front of Litrenko, and raised his head.
"We're going back," he murmured. She frowned, then looked around bewildered when he clambered back into the trees and set off, towards the traders. Through the evening, she spoke, talking about casual things, the weather, the unseasonal warmth, avoiding talking directly about the situation. Finally, he dropped from the canopy, and pulled her into his arms.
"Hush," he whispered when she gasped in surprise. She wrapped her arms gently round him, her eyes closed, as a tear ran down her face. He had heard her cry at night and felt worthless about doing nothing, so he wiped the tear away with his thumb, and kissed her slowly and lightly. She responded to it passionately, but he pulled away soon after. He told her to stay there, and shot back into the treetops. He moved silently and fluidly, his hunting experience proving useful, as he began to stalk a large boar. He pulled out his bow, nocked two arrows, and took aim. As he changed position to get comfortable, his foot rustled the leaves, and the boar's head shot up. It's beady black eyes saw him, and it charged at the tree, squealing madly. It charged into it three times before knocking him down through the branches. He grabbed branches as he fell, steadying himself, and held on, as the boar charged a fourth time, shaking his grip loose. He fell the last few feet, and lay on the floor, panting. The boar trotted over proudly, and nuzzled him. He started, surprised, but the boar seemed used to humans. In any case, it wasn't dangerous anymore. It followed him back to Litrenko, where it sniffed her before curling up. Yajiranda shrugged, before suddenly knocking an arrow, and loosing it into the trees. A deer fell, and he dragged it back. Litrenko stared, but he shrugged. He had heard the deer and fired on instinct. That was all he knew. He cut the deer up, started a fire, and gave a few slivers of the raw meat to the boar, who ate it, and settled to sleep. Yajiranda stared, put off by this strange behaviour, then proceeded to cook the meat. Litrenko offered some vegetables from the traders, and water she had collected at a spring, and he made a stew, in silence. Within an hour, it was finished, and he poured it into two bowls given by Litrenko. She pulled out some rough goblets of wood she had carved herself, and he made a tart drink with more water and berries. They ate and drank silently, until she looked at the boar, which was snuffling quietly in it's sleep.
"What's with that thing?" she asked. He shrugged.
"It attacked me when I was hunting it, then once it had my scent, it let me be, and followed me." She frowned, confused, then shrugged.
"Live and let live," she said, and finished her food. She washed the bowls and goblets with yet more water, and put them im her pack. After that, she curled up and slept, leaving Yajiranda alone. The boar was awake, and rubbing its nose in the floor, searching for worms. He called it over quietly by whistling. He stroked it's matted long fur, and allowed it to snuffle his ear. He heard light thoughts, about food, strange new creatures, sleep, and knew he was hearing the boar. It seemed content as it trotted off to continue snuffling, and he lay down to sleep. He allowed himself a small smile, and lay down to sleep himself, knowing he would see the traders in his dreams. As he fell to sleep, he heard the sound of travelling carriages moving, and knew where he was. In a few seconds, he would see the traders, and all would be well again. The eye materialised first, watching him. Then the ground. Then, the entire scene opened around him. The traders had made good speed, and were many miles ahead. He knew that to catch them on foot would be nigh impossible. They would need horses, and good ones at that. He sighed, before turning to the eye above him. He was annoyed now. Why was the eye always there? He confronted it with the question.
"I am here, because I am needed here. You are using magic. I am over-seeing you do not misuse it." Yajiranda frowned in annoyance.
"I'm not meaning to. I just... I dunno, I do it in my sleep! How am I supposed to control that?" he replied, frustrated. A feeling of amusement came from the eye.
"If you went to Kilamano, or the Elven City, Hitroero Lireinda, you would get the training required. Make that an objective soon. Get to the capital or the Elven City, and train in magic." The eye closed and vanished. Yajiranda cursed, and woke up. The moon was low in the sky; morning was close. The boar was snuffling again, and had already unearthed a lot of vegetation. It seemed to be getting full, and it left the hole and lay down. He pondered it's strange behaviour, then began to ready himself for the day. He ate some meat and woke Litrenko, who kissed him softly before readying herself. They began setting off in the direction Yajiranda pointed. Eventually, he decided to explain his situation as they walked. Litrenko listened quietly, then nodded.
"I figured there was a reason like that, as you seemed to know where exactly to go," she said. He smiled, and the day went on, mostly in silence. Near to dusk, as the sun set in the sky, Yajiranda felt something wrong, a small buzzing in his head. It grew, until he could stand it no longer. He looked around, and saw, with a shock, the eye, a few feet away. He stopped, and Litrenko looked around.
"Yajiranda?" she asked. He shook his head, and walked forward. The eye beckoned him closer, and materialised into a thin, badly dressed man. He moved forward, and the man spoke.
"You are the farmboy who scry's, yes?" he asked. Yajiranda nodded, and the man smiled grimly. "Run. Hide. Don't use magic again, until you are in the Elven City." He faded again, until Yajiranda stood, dumbfounded. Litrenko pulled him on, and he began to walk, suddenly afraid. They walked on, passing through the large forest, in the direction pointed by the old man, hopefully towards the Elven City of Hitroero Lireinda.

[Corlupa]

WoW that's amazing at first I thought it would be a rip-off of LOTR but it wasn't and action in the beginning is good

[anokosa]

thank you

guess i best get started on the next chapter then.. i dunno when i can have it dun by though, i've got a lot on my plate at the moment

[SheWolfAtSoul]

really wicked! I love it! I could never write like that.

[Lord of the suspense]

I'm sure you could, your piece of writing is really good!

[SheWolfAtSoul]

thankies, but i think this is better

[anokosa]

aww thanks shewolf....

sentiment appreciated

have a special heart thing, just cos ur on the rp with me

<3

[anokosa]

sorry to say guys but theres gonna be a lot longer to wait for the next lot. my computers been wiped, and in the process i lost a lot of data, including a lot of stories i wrote. im gonna have to start from scratch, so ill have to write the next lot out again. =[

so maybe 2 months till the next chapers out

sorry guys

[anokosa]

After much too long, I've managed to sort out the much anticipated chapter three. I'll stop with the immodesty now lol. I know I said a couple of months, and it's been six so far, but I'm sorry. My laptop's been wiped six times, and I kept losing it all, then it broke so I've had to remember the plans from scratch and tink up some new ones, and I'm doing it from the main computer now =/ Anyways, hope it's as good as what ive previously wrote and hope you enjoy it

Chapter Three
Yajiranda walked ceaselessly for the rest of the day. Litrenko followed silently, until dusk, when the sun cast golden light and blue shadows through the forest. A faint singing had been heard since just before evening. A song that seemed to echo through the forest, endless and infinite, close yet far, loud but soft. The song of the Elves. Yajiranda knew that within days, he would be at the Elven City. The boar had followed them, grunting occasionally when it wanted to hunt for worms and berries. When the sun set, Litrenko allowed herself to fall to the floor and set up a fire-bed. Yajiranda sighed, and gave in to fatique. As Litrenko got the last of her vegetables and fruit, and the wrapped up slivers of meat, Yajiranda knocked an arrow to his bow, and began to hunt. Within half an hour, he had the track of a large creature, cat-like, but peaceful. He tracked it for a further half hour, before finally catching it at the water-edge. He smiled, and let loose the arrow. It thudded into a tree as the creature ran with sudden fear. Yajiranda cursed, and gave chase. He caught it at a clearing, with a pack of wolves around it, and stopped. Wolves were vicious, feared, fast and powerful. He looked at one, a big one with a streak of black down it's back and the rest of it's coat a dark silver, and gave a small whine. The wolf backed off a little, head bowed, and growled as another went to leap on the creature. It gave a short bark, and turned tail. Yajiranda's arrow struck his prey, and he began to take it back as the boar stepped in front of him, and, using a tusk, threw the cat-like animal onto it's back. It trotted off, looking pleased, with Yajranda following and shouting furiously. He lost track of it *the boar's like a ninja you see lol* for a while, before picking up some hairs, and seeing tracks in the soft mud. He ran into a clearing where a startled Litrenko had a large cat on her, its claw on her face, and the boar laid next to a tree, asleep. Yajiranda laughed, and stroked the boar, before carving the animal up and adding a little meat to the stew Litrenko had prepared. The meat was salty, but a welcome change, and went well with some gathered berries which added sweetness to it. Both Yajiranda and Litrenko were full after, and fed the remains to the boar, who snuffled it happily before falling back asleep. Then Litrenko pulled up her rough-made quilt, and slept, with Yajiranda sat up watching, fear coursing through him. He fell asleep after a few hours, uneasily, and cuddled to Litrenko. At sunrise, he woke again, to a surprise. Six knives, three swords and 17 arrows were all pointed at him. Many others stood behind, unarmed. They were all slender, their hair green and blue and brown, and their eyes the colours of the earth, eyes that held centuries of wisdom in them. Yajiranda stared in shock, before finally holding his hands out in a gesture of peace.