Keros Divided (IC): Eruptions

Keros Divided

The Fall of Peace

The Ancient Monastery...

Elder Vorsac stood in the chamber, he was on the balcony and overlooked the starry field of magic outside the floating mountain. He held in his hands a scroll. Elder Rmalc stood next to him.

"What does it say?" asked the fishman Rmalc.

Vorsac looked at Rmalc gravely. He handed him the scroll and he opened it. His eyes immediately widened. "No! ...This can't be..." he said. "It... it can't!"

"It is, the moons have aligned and the eclipse will be upon us soon. He is rising... His forces are moving to themed Ancient Lands, he has consumed the Badlands completely... It is coming..."

"But... If Mallis does overtake the Kingdom of the Salvaged and summon the... them... how then will our heroes succeed?"

Vorsca looked at Rmalc, tearstained his face. "They won't..."

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The Darkness has been spotted above the land of The Hidden, where villages lie in the lands and hide heroes and ancient things... Now, Mallis is at large, and he is about to eat the land up below...

The volcano rose into the sky like a pillar from the depths of the Underworld, its surface riddled with cracks that glowed with an almost evil light. The sky above it glowed red, as though the dark clouds above reflected the dangerous light of the magma in the crater below. The lava that ran in streams down the mountain's sides from chutes pooled at its base into the cavernous valley below, creating lakes and plains of fire. The ground around the volcano was dangerous, the only way to cross the burning lakes being rickety wooden bridges, suspended several feet above the molten liquid. The path to the mountain was long, the bridges going in wild zigzags between natural stone platforms, tiny islands in the burning sea. Hardly any green was to be found, save for the fire flowers, strange plants, through which flames coursed in their leaves. All other plants and greenery had long ago shriveled and died, the only remnants being the skeletons of petrified trees. In this strange, burning valley, aside from the lilies, the most beautiful thing, overall, was the sky.

In this land, where there was nothing but danger, it seemed to be forever fixed in twilight, the sun never seen. However, it was not dark at all, for the red glow that always illuminated the world. The sky, forever night, was a deep, dark sapphire blue. Spiraling galaxies, supernovas, and stars, could all be seen here, without the aid of a telescope, the glow of the fire enhancing the brilliance of the scene. Despite the danger, one could gaze up at the sky, and just momentarily, forget their troubles, lost in its vastness.

Strangely, despite the intense heat and devastation, this land was rimmed by a lush jungle, which, unlike the area around the volcano, appeared to have a sense of time that still flowed. Day and night passed here, but sadly, the night of the Volcano nearby was only a vague memory, only the red of the clouds above the volcano visible. Here, in a large clearing, sat a tiny village. The people who lived there were simple, their town surrounded by a wall made of sharpened wooden posts, their homes made of wood planks, with roof shingles made out of tree bark. The village itself had one entrance, facing towards the volcanic land.

The people of the village, who were safe from the molten fire and ash of the volcano, were terrified of it. All of them were very small, most being three feet tall, seldom reaching four feet. They knew something that mere travelers did not. They knew something lived in the mountain, and that on the night of the New Moon, when the sky was dark, that something came from the volcano and descended upon the village. So great was their fear that every sunset, they rang a large bronze bell, signaling everyone to withdraw to their homes, for fear of encountering what arrived after dark. Sometimes, people in their homes, feeling safe and sound, their windows drawn shut, would hear strange sounds. They might hear the pounding of hooves, or the flap of large, scaly wings. This set them on edge, but despite this, nothing ever happened. The strange presence did not hurt anyone, but they always feared it would. In the morning, when they awoke, the would come outside to witness footprints or hoof prints scorched into the ground, as though by fire, leading out of the village, heading towards the volcano. The hoof prints were not of any creature they knew, four claws being inside the hoof, and the footprints had six toes. Nobody knew what the creature was, but they feared it, because it was not anything they understood.


Pyrena nestled deep within the belly of the volcano, floating in a chamber of magma, resting. The magma did not burn her skin, or even remotely injure her. It was no worse to her than water was to an aquatic creature. She could breathe in the lava, and not be hurt. In her home, where time seemed to be frozen, stars whirring by in the eternal twilight, it was difficult to tell what time it was in the lands of others, although Pyrena seemed not to struggle. Yes, she could tell the time quite accurately. The Moon's pull was less, but it still affected magma, just as it affected oceans and lakes. When the pull was greatest, the Moons were full, but when there was hardly any at all, they could not be found in the sky. It was when the pull was weak that Pyrena chose to go through the village, to observe the people. Unlike those who could not see in the dark, Pyrena's eyes had excellent night vision, due to her own personal light. They were afraid of her, it seemed, but Pyrena never wanted to hurt them. They were all so small, so tiny, how could she harbor anything towards them?

Despite this, Pyrena always came, trying to understand what she could not. Her family had died long ago, at her own hands. It was only worsened, by the fact that it was all an accident. She could not help that she burned everything that she touched. She had not intended to burn down her home, but she had. It was only a cruel twist of fate, that her parents were unable to escape. Even with the powers of lightning and earth, they were unable to avert Death. For powers that seemed eternal, they had died out so fast. Pyrena had been overcome with grief, and had fled. She eventually came to the floating land where the volcano was. It was the truly uninhabitable environment that it produced, combined with the beauty of the sky, that lured her there. It was here that she could live in solitude, unhindered by the obstacles it posed to others. This land was her home.

The Village of the Hidden...

The Darkness swelled up in the sky. A purple thunder boomed throughout the land. The waters of the local sea began to ruffle and bash with fury as a disturbance had come to the atmosphere.

The people began to hide indoors. The local market stand managers tried their best to stay outdoors, but they knew something was wrong with the sky. The clouds just looked... evil... Lightning would pulsate from its heart off and on, every few minutes... ones or twice...

The boat keepers tied their boats to the bays.

Suddenly, it began to rain... but not water, no. It rained drops of black slime. When the droplets hit the ground they would come together and mold soldiers, monsters that would roam the land in search of whatever their master commanded now it was... Life, which they sought to burn up.

The came crashing down and formed on the sidewalks, they soon began to break down doors and crash windows in search of something...

Vaynor Isle

Three odd pirates, their green flesh rotting and hanging limply from their bones, stood on the old rotting stage of an old, rundown dive bar. The bar seemed to be full of other zombies, a few confused-looking, drunk-out-of-their-mind humans, and several other different species of creatures, who looked at the zombies with disdain as the pirates on the stage sang. In the back of the bar, propped up against the wall, a wide-brimmed hat pushed over the creature's eye. It was half-zombie, half-machine, the left side of him being completely made of fireproofed wood, and a silver sickle hung at his side. He simply sat there listening to the zombie pirates weave their tale. It was about him, of course, and he loved that about the song, primarily because the only thing 50% Mitch loved more than himself was himself.

A disturbance in the stars caused Pyrena to wake with a start. She couldn't tell what was wrong, but something had happened to the Moons. She could still feel their pull on the lava, but it was different, somehow. However subtle, she found it disturbing. She opened her eyes and peered out of the lava in the volcano's crater, staring up at the sky, trying to find any change. She found none, save for the shooting stars that streaked by. Once more, she found herself lost in the sky's beauty, its vastness. She was so small, compared to the world out there, so tiny, less than a speck. The universe was filled with mysteries, but it would not yield an answer to any of her questions. She could not see the moons, but she knew they were there. What was wrong with them?

The volcano rumbled, as if in answer. The lava, affected by the altered moons, was drawn to the surface. Pyrena could feel it as it began to rise from deep below. Soon, the mountain would erupt once more, and Pyrena, its sole resident, would be tempted to ravage the Fiery Fields. It was part of her very nature, a wise shaman once told her, to be so closely linked to the volcano. However, Pyrena knew, the mountain should not erupt, not yet. Something had to be done, to stop it. But how could she control the moons? That was beyond her power.

Regardless, she was awake now, and she could not fall back asleep, she was too worried now. She swam a bit deeper, and then turned back up to the sky, before shooting out of the lava, and landing on the rim of the crater, her entire form glowing a terrifying red, heated by the molten rock. She reared up, her body changing as her hands and feet melted into hooves, and as she sprouted a tail and wings. She ran around the crater, lighting fast, about three times, before charging down the side of the volcano, not tumbling even once, as the claws set in her hooves gripped the stone face, leaving strange footprints scorched into the ground.

The Monument stood in the heart of the city that was below the sheet of Darkness. Mallis had moved onto the next city, just next to the village of the hidden... The City of the Salvaged...

A circle of Darkness, thick, black, boiling clouds formed around he skycracking castle. On the tip was a large circular pond of purple liquid that shined as suddenly the two moons were in perfect alignment.

Mallis emerged from the clouds and walked onto the surface. Bane came out with him. Mallis held in his claws a purple diamond that began to glow as the eclipse began. He dropped it into the pond and the water began to glow.

"My lord, we don't know what the Celestials can do, they could very well try to overthrow you" said Bane.

"Even if they did, I am the most powerful force in the universe! I could easily consume them and throw them into the abyss of the elliptical death forever!"

Bane quieted himself as suddenly a large hole opened in the clouds and a purple light shined from the moons directly onto the pond and the pond steamed as it grew brightly.

"The hour is here..." said Mallis. Terror walked onto the castle roof. "The Elders know" he said. "They're sending Immortals and Slayers here to stop us"

"Keep all of my forces on the lookout, the Elders will not pry this away from me!" Mallis snarled.

the Enchanted Forest

deep in the glowing depths of the Enchanted Forest, it is said that there is a massive tree, wider and fuller than all the others. It is a deciduous tree (meaning it has normal leaves), the only one in the forest of conifers, and it's auburn leaves glow gold in the darkness. The area of the forest that the tree is in has very tall, thick conifers all around, and their great branches nearly block out the sun, making it look like it's always dusk in the area surrounding the tree. On the tree grows great yellow star-shaped fruit, which have magical properties and are sought after for love potions, as if a man and a woman share a starfruit, they will fall in love with each other. Next to the tree is a massive pool with the ruins of a lost elf village sticking up around it. The waters of the shimmering pool glow a light blue, and a few black and white koi swim around in it. The waters are known to have mythical healing properties, and can mend any ailment. Both the tree and the pond are heavily guarded by law elves, a rare tribe of elves who are the protector of the Elf sage.

At the base of the tree, one will find a heavy silver door, which leads to a large den dug into the roots of the star tree. This den is where the Elf Sage Ravencloak dwells. It is extremely austere, with soft moss carpeting and a great, moss-covered stone throne, where Ravencloak sits. The den is divided into nine separate rooms. The center is the throne room, where Ravencloak sits and where there are the most guards. In the center of the throne room is the Crystal of Life, a powerful magical artifact given to man by Chorevoun, the elf goddess, and is what gives all of the trees and plants in the forest their magicla properties. If the Crystal were ever to be destroyed, then all life in the forest would die. Then, (in order from left to right), there is Ravencloak's bedroom, the guards' bedroom, a bathroom, Ravencloak's potion-makin room, the kitchen, a dining room, and Ravencloak's apprentice Colneth's room.

On this particular day, Ravencloak was in his potion-making room, whipping up a particularly difficult brew known as Essence of Alleluia, a very specific healing potion. The room was a perfect square and was well-organized. It was 8x8, plenty big enough for any elf but small enough to reach anything without much of a hassle. The left wall was lined with shelves on which flasks of hundreds of different potions ingredients sat. To the right was a bookshelf full of potion-making books and a small moss-covered chair, and at the front of the room was a sturdy wooden crafting table adorned with different tools from mallets to knives, which hung on the wall, a crystal ball that shone like the moon, a sink with a rack of clean glass flasks and vials on it, and a sturdy black cauldron encrusted with emeralds. Ravencloak stirred the clear potion clockwise with a large cast iron stirring spoon. He looked down at the potion to see if it was boiling or not, and then grabbed a stick of cinnamon which was laying on the table. Ravencloak always kept all of the potion ingredients he needed for what he was making and a jar of reversal dust (which causes any potion to disband and lose it's magical abilities) right on the table. He took the cinnamon stick and broke it clean in half, dropping half into the potion and putting the other half down. He stirred the potion more, and it began to shimmer slightly.

"Now for the most important ingredients." he muttered. He grabbed a freakishly large green egg from off of the table and cracked it on the side of the cauldron and then dropped the egg into the potion, immediately followed by a sprig from a pine tree and an evil cherry (a special kind of cherry that grows on a certain tree in the forest and is known fro it's strong, unbiased magic). and stirred them all in. He added some ground unicorn horn, and stirred counter clockwise for five minutes until the potion smelled of gingerbread and was gold. He took a small piece of salt rock and dropped it into the potion; the last ingredient. Satisfied, he took the spoon out of the cauldron, put the ingredients away, and sat down in his mossy chair, where he sat for exactly 22 minutes. After this time was over, he rose and looked in the cauldron. Only about an eight of it was full, as the potion reduced itself drastically. He sighed and took two flasks from the rack, which he filled with the potion.

"Is it finished yet uncle?" Colneth said happily, sticking her head in the potion room which smelled of gingerbread.

"You know you're not supposed to be in here, my dear." Ravencloak mused, smiling.

"I know uncle, I was just curious".

"It's okay, my dear. I was just finishing up anyways. If you're feeling adventurous, I have some potion ingredients that I need more of". His young teenaged niece's eyes glimmered, and she smiled in an adventurous way.

"Right on it, Uncle!" she cried.

Three Immortals shot from a spot in the night sky. They flew in the air, each of them had eagle wings. Mallis, using his magic, created a wall of purple vapor that disintegrated the Immortals as they hit it unexpectedly. Mallis sneered then turned back to the transforming pond.

"There will be more, The Elders would have sent more than that" said Terror.

"I am aware..." said Mallis. "Get back!" he shouted as the pond lit up even more. They ran over to the edges of he rooftop and suddenly a ray of purple light shot from the pond and into the night sky. It would connect with the moon and so it did. The moon quickly turned a shade of purple and the skies lit up with purple and dark clouds along with huge displays of lightning and thunder everywhere in Keros.

"They're coming..."

Colneth left the den, a list of potion ingredients in her hand. She needed a flask of snapdragon flower buds, a flask of unicorn blood, and a flask of stone koi scales (each flask holds one liter of whatever is in it). She skipped around the pool, bow in hand, being greeted by all of the guards. She heard the distant sounds of thunder and what little that could be seen of the sky lit up with lightning. But Colneth wasn't worried; the Star Tree was so well-enchanted that no villain could get there without an army the size of an ocean.

Arriving at one of the large conifer trees that stood around the pool, Colneth sheathed her bow and began to climb the face of the great conifer, using her nature magic to make the bark grip to her hand. She climbed up the tree with the nimbleness of a squirrel and got to the top, where she could more clearly see the purple moon and flashes of lightning. She was confident that there was no immediate threat to her or the forest, though, so she simply ignored it and resolved to ask Ravencloak about it later.

She moved amongst the tree branches and came to an aviary garden (a garden that grows high in rainforest canopies when dirt and sunlight land in a flat area of the tree), where a beautiful garden of maroon-colored snapdragons, tended by Lothel, a short, pretty blonde elf who sat in the corner of the garden, her eyes transfixed on the purple moon.

"Lothel, can I clip off some snapdragon buds for Ravencloak?" she asked Lothel.

"Uh yeah sure whatever." she said nervously.

"What's the matter?" Colneth said as she bent down near the snapdragons and pulled a pair of shears out.

'The moon, it's creeping me out." Lothel replied, still staring at the moon "it looks so evil". Colneth used her magic to turn the snapdragon flowers back to buds, and clipped them off, collecting the buds in the flask. She used her nature powers to replace the buds as quickly as she cut them, and soon the flask was full. She thanked Lothel, put the flask back in a special magical carrying case that she wore, and leapt through the air like a flying squirrel, grasping the next conifer branch and swinging to another until she got to the trunk of another tree, which she climbed down stealthily.

Next, she went to Chorevoun's river, a robust, enchanted stream encompassing the heart of the forest in which the stone fish, little pebbled brought to life by the magic, swam, gobbling up smaller stone fish for food. She reached down into the translucent golden waters and grabbed a stone fish by the tail. Pulling it out of the water, she pulled out a chisel and began to scrape the scales off of the little fish. When she was done, she threw the now-irritable fish back in the water and put the flask away. Now that she was out of the heart of the forest, the evil-looking, dark sky was more visible through the trees, and it didn't look good. But, Colneth wasn't worried. Nobody was ever going to invade the Enchanted Forest. It would be suicide.

Yet, everywhere she went, elves shifted nervously and looked up at the sky with growing fear. She felt like she had missed the joke, but she had a job to do. Through the forest she went, running at nearly twice the speed of a human, until she arrived in a clearing where the sky really didn't look good at all. She pulled her bow out, and caught a bull unicorn who was looking up at the sky with awe unaware. She pulled the bow back, and fired a crystal arrow across the meadow, where it drove into the unicorn's chest cavity, puncturing it's heart. Colneth ran over to it, took a liter of it's blood and then tossed the dead unicorn over her shoulders and ran back to the heart of the forest, where the Law Elves were all suddenly extremely aware and stoically guarding the star tree.

A gigantic tropical island stood in the middle of a vast, azure blue ocean. Various palm trees, some growing a variety of tropical fruits, waved in the balmy breeze, adding their own sound to the symphony of bird calls, and the clicks and whistles of tiny frogs hidden in the orchids and ferns below. Calm, pristine waves lapped at gigantic beaches, composed of clean, pale pinkish-white sand. From the shore, one could look out at the vast sea for hours, never seeing an end, and barely distinguishing where water met sky over the horizon. The waters were so pure, that one could see into their depths effortlessly, and in the distance, massive coral reefs could be found, populated by tropical undersea life of every shape and size.

In various places on one side of the island, and throughout the jungle, one could see massive seashells, of every shape, size, and color, with cloths or beads draped over their entrances, their now-empty hollows serving as homes to new inhabitants aside from whatever had made them. The other side of the island was relatively unpopulated, save for one village. The Village on the Water, as it had been called, was quite unique. Logs taken from sturdy palm trees had been laid out, creating a dock on the water. Here, people made homes in small huts, living as fishermen, or pearl gatherers. There were also jewelry makers, who crafted beautiful charms from the shells and coral they found. In addition, there were seaweed farmers, and more importantly, shark hunters. Without the shark hunters, the village could not survive, as the waters, however beautiful and safe they appeared, were filled with various deadly predators, including sting rays, eels, venomous sea snakes, and better known, the sharks. Shark hunters killed these creatures whenever possible, making the waters safer for others, but even then, their job had a high cost. Many shark hunters did not live to the age of thirty, often dying at a young age, as a result of a careless mistake, or a lack of speed that age brought on. It was no wonder, that they were all so greatly respected.

However, despite this simple, island life, there was one beach that was very different from all the others. Throughout the island, one could find fragments of statues, built from the same, dark green-gray stone, in various states of disrepair, as they slowly crumbled away. One might ask why these were scattered across the land, and many of the island's inhabitants did wonder, but if any answers were to be found, they lied in the ruins of Tentacle Beach. Here, massive broken pillars rose from the sands, and in the water, enormous buildings, riddled with holes and partly filled with sand, could be found. All of these were made from the same stone as the statues, somewhat better preserved, however. Often, many were tempted to investigate these ruins, although to do so can be incredibly risky.

Tentacle Beach had earned its name for its famously dangerous waters, which were hazardous even in comparison to those patrolled by Shark Hunters. They were so dangerous, in fact, that an area around the beach had been roped off with nets, weighed down in the water by heavy metal anchors, in an attempt to keep the creatures within from escaping into inhabited areas. Here, the sharks found were twice the size of those caught elsewhere, and rays with larger, more toxic barbs could be found. The jellyfish here were larger, the only indication of their presence being the faint red X that could be found on their caps. In addition, deep sea life not normally found so close to shores made their home here. Large gulper eels, and deep-sea squids and octopi could be seen, making their homes in dark crevices provided by the ruins. Indeed, it was regarded as too dangerous to investigate here.

However, despite these hazards, these ruins held a secret, only known to the people of the Village on the Water, who kept it well, despite their great pride. Within these ruins, which held an entrance into a place deep within the ocean, a strange creature existed. This creature had legs and fins, and it could walk. It was colorful, like a fish, and seemed capable of breathing on land as well as in the water. Every night, when one of the moons was full, it would rise to feed, somehow moving past the netting of the ruins, and hunting for fish in the village's waters. It fed on many creatures, even sharks and predatory fish that nobody else would dare to touch. It was the Water Spirit that protected the village from harm, and with ease, it had even killed Megalodon, a massive shark that had devoured many hunters. Since then, the people would hide in their huts on the nights when the Spirit was meant to appear, and watch in silence, hoping to witness it as it defeated yet another foe. Their sole reason, for not telling why they watched the sea at night, was to protect the Spirit. They were most likely responsible for the ruins, but had long since vanished from the island.

Dusk had fallen on the Village. Another day had run its course and all was well. Nothing out of the ordinary had happened to day. He'd woken up, went out to the forest to get breakfast. Today he had a decent sized Rout Nose ( A small pig like animal). Then he went on his rounds. They simply consisted of patrolling the Village perimeter and settling small disputes between Villagers. It wasn't much, but it was his life. Today he did settle a small argument between a couple of farmers who both claimed the same Mulik. Turned out Neither owned it.

Now he was heading to his home on the outskirts of the Village. The Villagers liked him well enough for his usefulness, but most still feared him on some level, so they make him live away from the village proper. They feared him for what he was. He was a Draken and humans were once prey to his kind. Most humans have never seen his kind in centuries though, but Humans tend to pass along stories to there children and create a long cultural memory. So some among them refuse to even speak to him.

But he'd spent twenty years in the village and had endeared himself to many and some how wound up as the village protecter. He didn't mind it, but sometimes wondered as to how it happened. For most of his life he'd never seen another soul.

Now He stood at the edge of his home looking off in the distance. He had felt uneasy all day. He had no real idea as to why, but it felt as if something big was going to happen. Not just this village, but to Ryium and the realm at large. He Had talked to the Vilage seer and she had confirmed what she had said. But she had also said that there was hope, a faint one, but still there.

Warrain was in a melancholy mood, not that he ever really strayed from that emotion. Being alone, he had plenty of time to brood on whatever topic was currently bothering him. Whenever he felt this way, he had a habit of wandering aimlessly throughout the Abyssal Ruins, so deep in thought that he was completely oblivious to his surroundings until he realized where he was. This time, when he came out of his thoughtful daze, he found that he had once again strayed into the Water Chamber, the same room where he had hatched, sixteen years ago. The merman statue held the giant clam where his egg had been sitting, and he knew, that somewhere in the water that surrounded the gigantic blue-green sculpture, the shattered remains still settled.

He didn't know why he continued to gravitate towards this room. Perhaps it was instinct, just like certain fish returned to where they had been born, but he did not like being here. Remembering his own hatching also reminded him that he was alone. He didn't know who his true mother and father were. All he knew was that someone had placed his egg inside the giant clam, and left it. Although his egg had been well-protected, in an air bubble deep within the sea, where nothing could reach it, it had still been abandoned. Warrain had been born alone, and had spent a large amount of his life within the pool around the statue, too small to climb out.

Something was bothering him, however, and it had nothing to deal with his history linked to the room. It then occurred to him: the tides. Something had changed about them. Being a Water Elemental, he was greatly in tune with any body of water that he approached. It was quite impossible to ignore a change in the moon's pull on them. He couldn't figure out if it was stronger, or weaker, but it was different, confused. He suddenly felt very anxious. What was going on?

In that moment, his mind was made up. He didn't care if it was the full moon or not. He was going to the surface, one way or another, to investigate.


The Village, one of the few left that was populated by humans, had a visitor. The Messenger was not a human, but he was, by no means, a threatening creature, either in appearance or demeanor. Barely under four feet tall, with a thin, wiry figure, he looked like he was more suited for running from threats, rather than towards them. It was no wonder that he delivered things, as he was perhaps the fastest runner in his entire village. He strongly resembled a frog or imp, with mottled green skin that was shiny in appearance, enormous, webbed feet and hands, along with a long, thin tail, tipped with an arrow-shaped barb. On his back were tiny wings that fluttered at odd intervals, although they were likely only useful for increasing speed, as there was no possible way he could fly. He wore a tiny brown tunic, and strapped across his back was the container holding the scroll he was meant to deliver.

He darted between the legs of various humans, surprising them, and occasionally tripped in his haste, large, pointy ears flopping, further adding to the awkwardness of his appearance. He knew where he was supposed to go, the Village Elders had been very clear on that. Eventually, he reached the other end of the Village. Eventually, he arrived at his destination, and looked around for the recipient. No good messenger delivered a scroll and didn't ensure it was read. Soon, he spotted a large lizard-like creature, and guessed that this was who he was sent to find.

He hopped up, seemingly out of nowhere, and looked up at him, his gigantic brown-gold eyes suddenly whirling with anxiety. This recipient was much larger than him. If he got mad, he could get hurt. He shook it off, though, he was willing to risk it, if it could save his village. "Are you the guardian of this Village?" He asked, his voice sounding high-pitched and squeaky. He didn't wait for an answer. He took the tube off of his back and opened it, taking out the scroll, "I have a message for you, from the Village of Emerald Falls. Please, sir, I beg of you to read it. My entire Village has sent me to deliver the scroll. We need your help, we're desperate!" He started to shake like a leaf, holding out the scroll.

Rynier had just came from the edge of the village. He'd just came from fetching his supper. This time he'd managed to find a Yearling. It had been very delicious. Now as he entered the village he saw there was some sort of commotion amongs the villagers. So he naturally went forth to investigate it and to see if it was something he could solve. What he saw when get got there astounded his. For what he saw was a small goblin like creature sprinting about as if looking for someone. Rynier was about ask whom it was he searched for when it came up to him.

"Are you the guardian of this Village?" It asked. But before Rynier could awnser it spoke avian
"I have a message for you, from the Village of Emerald Falls. Please, sir, I beg of you to read it. My entire Village has sent me to deliver the scroll. We need your help, we're desperate!"

Perplexed and a bit confused it took him a moment to think. So he then took the scroll the small creature offered him and read it. It seemed to be a call for help as the goblin had said. It seemed that the village he spoke of, Emerald Falls was at the mercy of a Fire elemental that resided near the town.

Finally he spoke " Hold on there sir. What is the meaning of this? I don't anything about elementals. Why come to me. aren't there other you can turn to for help?"

( boom. Did that on an iPod too!)

The Messenger stopped shaking, but his wings continued to flutter frantically. "Well, sir, we are all very small, and this creature you think might be a Fire Elemental, it's much larger than us. We haven't seen it, but it has left tracks scorched into the ground. I brought this when the Elders told me why I was delivering your message." He pulled a large piece of folded paper from a pocket on his tunic, unfolding it and showing it to him. It was a black mark, as though charred, in the shape of a gigantic hoof, with what appeared to be ridges around the edge. Inside the hoof, four claw-like toes could be seen. "I took a page and pressed it to one of the footprints. Sometimes, it leaves marks like these, others, a foot much like a human, but with sharp nails, and six toes, rather than five." He folded up the paper and put it back in his pocket.

"Sir, the reason we sent for you was, we believe you are the one who is most capable of fighting it. It came from the Fiery Fields, a region near Emerald Falls that is completely uninhabitable. In that place, massive lakes and seas of lava make it impossible for plants or animals to survive. The only way to get to the volcano the creature came from is to cross over between the natural stone platforms. A long time ago, someone built bridges between them, but they're very old, and there's a high risk that they might break if you walked on them. Our people heard that your kind were capable of surviving in intense heat, and as such, we also believe that might make you resistant to the flames of the creature. They sent me to you because you are the only member of your kind any of us could locate, or reach."

Rynier took the Burt paper from the small creature and examined it. Had his reputation really spread this far? He'd never even heard of the landsa spoken of. But he'd sworn to help others when he'd taken his oath as a Protecter. He'd do it if he could. Or at the very least find one who can help them

"I see. So it is my abilities that that you need. I'll help you I suppose. But I don't even know were your village is. I've never left Ryuim. You'll have to lead me there. "

(I'm going to do something a little bit God-moddy, but it should make things easier.)

The Messenger, glad that his mission was complete for the most part, laughed off the nervousness. "Well, you see, we already thought that over. We came up with something to make it easier, seeing as it took me three days to get here, and we didn't want to waste time traveling." He put a hand into the other pocket of his tunic and pulled out what appeared to be a bright white-violet marble. "Before I delivered your scroll, they told me to go and collect something from the Clockwork City. From my village, it takes weeks to reach it, but for me, it's only about a five-day run. There, I met a very clever inventor who had recently made a breakthrough, and got this marble. This little sphere, though it may not look like much, took an entire month to craft, and it took even more time for the inventor to collect all the components."

He paused for a moment, before chuckling to himself slightly, "Sorry, I get a story and then I take forever to tell it! Well, anyway, this marble opens up a tiny rift, that lasts for about five minutes, to any location that you need to reach. It only works once, and this is the only one I have, so I had to come here on foot. I saved it for this occasion." He huffed on the orb to warm it, before shaking it in his hand, "Okay, come on...Emerald Falls! Take us to the Village!" When he was done urging the orb, he pulled back his arm, "I hope this works!" He said, as he threw it on the ground, smashing it.

A bright cloud of energy swirled up from the shattered shell, and a tiny line appeared, before opening up, the edges glowing violet. A rift, the perfect size to fit through, had formed. On the other side, a lush green jungle, with bright filtered sunlight was on the other side. In the distance through the portal, a gate was visible. "It worked!" He cried. He ran up to the portal and looked through, "Yes! That's the village gate!" He turned to look back, "Come on! It only lasts five minutes!" With this, he jumped through, and turned once more to look at him through the portal. He waved with his hands.

Rynier was stunned. He'd never seen such an amazing Device before. It was clearly some sort of power ful magic. He was hesitant to go through it, but he'd agreed to go and this was the means of travel his guid had chosen to take. With that thought he eased himself throu, cautiouly walking through the rift. When he made it out to the other side he looked around. Whereas Ryuim was a temperate mild forested climate this place was tropical and teeming with life.

"That was amazing. I had no idea such magic was possible! And this place... Wow. " he looked around for a moment taking in the new sights before continuing. " what is this place." He then looked at his guid for an awnser.

The Messenger smiled, "We're just where we wanted to be. We're in Emerald Falls, and that rift worked! Look!" He pulled another folded paper from his pocket, and unfolded it. It revealed a map of charted locations in the world. Much of the paper was blank, and less than one tenth of the map was charted. "I know, it's kind of blank, but the world's pretty big, and you can only travel so far in a lifetime. Besides, this map covers a pretty large area, and it's standard for messengers like me. Someone else would have a bit more detail." He said, positive that he would be asked about the map's completioman. He then returned his attention to the map, "We were over there," He said, pointing to a very small speck on the very edge of the map. "-And now, that rift took us all the way to this spot, here," He pointed to yet another small, dark green spot. The distance, though not much on the map, was astronomical in real life. When he looked at it, he frowned, "I'm going to have to tell that Inventor he's a genius someday."

He shrugged, and folded up the map, now replacing it with a different one. This time, it showed a map of Emerald Falls, along with a few regions near it. Much of the map was taken up by lush, green jungle, but on the northern section of the map, it was taken up by red pools of lava, and dark grey-black stone. Just before the map ended, a large change in color revealed a massive volcano, complete with lava flows. "Okay, now, to be more precise, we should be standing right around here, next to the village gate, just south of the Fiery Fields" He pointed to a spot north of the village, which was incredibly close to the volcanic region. He folded up the map and put it back in his pocket.

"Okay, so now that we're here, we have two options. I can go to the village and tell them you agreed to help us, while you go on ahead to the Fiery Fields, or you can come with me for the personal introductions. It doesn't really matter to anyone anymore. The creature has made us desperate enough to the point that they might just rush you out, it's been like that for years. Apparently, it's been even worse lately, since something appears to be wrong with the moons, and the creature appears on nights of the new moon, and it might change its schedule and come out early if that's the case." He started to stutter and trip over his words, before he suddenly stopped, and took a deep breath, "Sorry. Anyway, we just want that creature to leave us alone, and I don't mean to sound cliche, but the sooner, the better."

As he was listening to the small person he hAd gazed out at the nearby volcano. The supposed home of the elemental. He could go ahead and go or he could go to the village. If he went ahead the job would be over quicker and he could go home. on the orher hand it would be nice ro meet other, but they may fear hom as well... and he may get attached. that wouldn't be good.
He made up his mind.

"I believe it would be best if I went ahead and went to the volcano to deal with this threat. I think it would be best if I didn't get personally involved with your village. No offence, but last time that happens I wound up staying. That's the town you found me in. I'll go and head up. Let your village know if here."

The Messenger nodded, and pulled a tiny map out of his pocket. It was only about 5 x 5 inches, and it had the name, 'Fiery Fields' printed on top. It appeared to be mostly red, with tiny dark grey-black landmasses leading up to the volcano, connected by tiny grey-brown bridges, the wood on the map made to look old. A few spots were marked with small black outlines of lilies. He handed it to Ryien. "My Granny was really good with herb lore, and when she was alive she was the only person in the Village brave enough to go into the Fiery Fields. The only reason she went was because of the Fire Flowers, but I can't remember what kind of medicine she made using them." He paused, and shook his head, "Sorry, drifted off again. Anyway, she drew this map, telling where the flowers were, and it's the most detailed map of the Fields. There's no other like it, so it's very important." He seemed to be drifting off into a long-ago memory. He shook his head, clearing it again, "I'm not brave enough to go to the Fields and pick the flowers like she did, but I always wanted to find a way to make that old map useful again, to honor her memory. I want you to take it, you can find your way to the volcano easier if you have it, and maybe then my conscience will be clear. I never thought I would find a good use for it."

With this, the Messenger darted away, towards the Village gates, without another word.


After she had managed to get her anger under control, Pyrena was once more assaulted by a wave of anxiety. The strangeness of the moons were making her nervous, and even though the sky was locked in eternal night in the Fiery Fields, the moons were simply not visible. Eventually, she returned to the volcano, and shifted back into her humanoid form, curling up into a ball and sitting on an unseen ridge in the crater, bathed in waves of heat from the pool of lava below. She was never cold, but she shivered, terrified. She didn't know how to react. All she knew was that something was wrong.

Once more, she thought about how she missed that Old Woman. In the village of Emerald Falls, nobody had been willing to enter her domain, save for the ancient Herb Lady, who used the Fire Flowers that grew in the fields to make a powerful medicine that could cure even the worst infections in wounds. Even now, Pyrena remembered a time when she had shown her a large patch of Fire Flowers. It had been the time when she was happy, even though her parents had been gone. For a short time, the Herb Lady had filled the void left by her parent's death. But then, one day, the Herb Lady had stopped coming, and Pyrena had visited on the night of the New Moon to investigate. There, she had discovered, that her friend had died, and that she was once more alone.

Pyrena really wished that the Herb Lady was still there. She was a wise woman, and truly brave. She was someone who Pyrena had looked up to. She still wondered why she had to go.

Now with the map in hand he set off to confront the elemental, After he had gave his regards the the small guide that is.

"Tell the you people that if all goes well the I shall enter the village when the deed is done. I know not how long it'll take though, so don't wait for me."

The messenger stood for a minute before Rynier waved him off. With that he went. It was rugged country for sure. The trip started off quite easy, he simply had to walk towards the distant volcano. He made good time too. Till he made it to a rock face. The climbe was ardatius but thankfully his gardens claws made it possible to climb it. He simply sank them into the bare rock. For that ability he was thankful. Once he'd topped it he was faced with an easy I'd old path. Some of the bridges along it were in disrepair. Likely from lack of use, if what was said by the messanger was true though it was passable. It also had meant there had been an easier way around the rock face. After all one doesn't expect an old women to climb something like that.

He hoped that the bridges were stable enough to climb. If they weren't he'd have to find a way around them. Good thing he was a master of Parqour.

Something had entered the Fiery Fields, something over six feet tall. Pyrena was good at judging things, and how she could detect something scaling the volcano was rather easy. Every time something move, air was displaced, and it created a breeze, which passed over the lava. Through the lava, Pyrena could detect even the slightest change. Normally, she would have handled the issue of trespassers more rationally, but the lack of balance regarding the volcano and the moons was enough to drive her to distraction. She couldn't think clearly with this pressure.

The volcano rumbled, responding to her distress, and once more reminding her of it's sooner-than-expected impending eruption. When it rumbled, not only did it make her feel more upset, but it also caused agitation. As a Fire Elemental, she was liked so strongly to the mountain that it's build in pressure could enrage her instantaneously. With yet another rumble of the volcano, Pyrena's sorrow and pain transformed into pure anger. How dare someone trespass? There were too many problems already, without her having to deal with someone wandering around.

Her smoldering eyes flew open, white dots with flame-like offshoots in a sea of red, tiny suns. She stood up from the tiny crevice, her entire body beginning to glow bright red, as though she were a piece of heated metal. Her hood flared out, revealing the spectacle pattern on the back. She looked up at the mouth of a crater, and hissed, her sharp teeth glowing white-hot, along with the rest of her mouth and throat. She reared up, changing into her bestial form, wings sprouting from her back, and her hands and feet transforming into hooves. A muscular tail lashed behind her, as the toes in her hooves clung to the rock beneath them. She reared again, producing an eerie, roar-like howl that was only vaguely equine. She then charged up our of the crater, taking flight, a bright fleck of red in the sky. She spotted the lizard-like intruder, and her eyes narrowed, as she shot a fireball directly at him.

He heard the volcano rumble. If if it meant what he thought it did that would mean it would soon erupt. That meant he had to hurry and got this over with soon. But there was something else. He felt a vague presence. He wasn't sure, but it could only be the fire elemental. And it probably wasn't pleased.

Then as if to confirm his thoughts he saw it. An enraged flaming beast was headed right at him from the top of the volcanic crater. He readied himself to repel the attack when instead it sent out a blast of fire right at him. He then barely had time to muster up his own powers and deflect the blast off to the side. He ran down the hill side they were on and quickly threw up an illusion in an attempt the hide himself from her. THis illusion had always worked back in Ryium, but here he was out of his element. He had know idea if it would hide him or not.

The illusion the intruder produced worked, but only temporarily. Pyrena stopped and looked around in a confused manner, simply hovering in the air, her wings keeping her alight, before she realized that it was a trick. She snorted, her body burning an even brighter shade as she was angered by the attempt to fool her. If she could not rely on her eyes, then she would locate him the same way she had learned of his presence. She concentrated, and searched for unusual drafts cooling the lava. For a moment, she found nothing, but then, she picked up a change further down the mountain. She breathed in, and the light patch on her throat brightened, as the oxygen fed the flames. She shot another ball of fire down the mountain at where she thought he was, before landing, and rearing up, her entire body igniting, and her hoof prints leaving scorched marks in the ground, identical to those that had been left at the village. Her jaws opened, revealing white-hot teeth like needles. The volcano rumbled again, and one could not be sure if the elemental was causing it, or if the volcano itself was responsible for her behavior.

He felt that strange presence yet again. Before he thought it may be the Elemental, but now he knew it for sure. It'd been fooled by the illusion, but now it was searching for him using other means. A sixth sense so to say. This worried his. Then another Fireball came Racing down at him from its perch higher up the mountainside. This time he stood there. He let his illusion drop and braced for the ball of fire t hit him. When it did he fell to his knees to help absorb its impact. He may be fireproof, but being hit still hurts some.

He then Looked up to his opponent and ponded briefly to see if there was a way to end this quickly and with little damage to it or him. He really didn't see one. Then he had an idea. He would go and attack it. But only to try and maim. He then rushed up it using every ounce of speed he possessed and jumped into the air and tried to tackled it.