My wannabe Novel beginning

I wrote this back in the late 90’s while in high school and thought I’d lost it (except written copies which have been damaged) until recently. This is a bit of a long read and probably horrible for grammar but I apricate any and all reads/comments/claps. I may edit this better or split it up — I seem to be

The Enternal Three

By: Jennifer Joelle-Elaine Ellis

In the beginning there were elves and dragons, this is where this story is, in the land that has been told over and over in different ways with different words. Welcome to The Kalen Tavern, home of the Kalen family…

Part 1

Her mystifying eyes of golden-blue scanned the room hoping to find someone she knew but alas she saw no one. Sighing heavily, she turns towards the open door, head slightly bowed. Just before she got to the door, a hand, a gently touch of a hand tapped her shoulder lightly, ‘you’d leave before saying hello, Dear Lady. Did you not see your old friend, your brother here?’ A husky voice spoke softly behind her.

‘I did not know you still came here, for you cursed this place and I,’ shrugs away from her brothers hand, turning to face him, ‘You left this home and cursed it along with me.’ Her eyes flared in anger and pain beneath the hood of her cloak.

The well-built, tall man stepped back from his sister who was tearing his heart with her words, ‘Trusted sister, love of all, do you hate me for leaving this violent place, yet though my home and yours, I had to leave. This is filth!’ His own golden-green eyes cry in rage to his sister.

‘Filth?’ Her voice cried in shock. Her eyes become wet with tears, pushing her hood back to reveal her beautiful elvish features. ‘I’m FILTH? Is that what I really am, Brother?’ Her face showing disgust towards her brother.

The once loud room was now quiet, focusing on the brother and sister arguing. The bards took rest from their instruments, the bartender slowly stopped pouring drinks, and the rest of the room moved around uneasily. The owner of the tavern and her brother were fighting. Rumor was spread that the brother left his sister and his home because of the violence that had taken over, but rumors are rumors.

She looked around, wiping her tears away, saying nothing then walked out with her brother following her.

‘I didn’t mean you were filthy, Sister. Please stop before we put more pain into this.’ His voice was shaking as if he were crying but holding back the tears.

She spun around throwing her hands up, tears streaking her pale cheeks, ‘You left me. DO you know how much that hurts? Abandonment is the word, Brother!’ She covered her face with her hands, crying softly, her sobs breaking his heart even more, in a mumbled voice she repeated, You just left me.’

Out of love he took his sister into his arms, embracing her with tears of his own washing his cheeks, ‘I wish I knew what to say. I know that what I did was wrong and I surely won’t do it again. I love you too much to see you hurt again. Pain surges through me to hear you cry. I’m sorry.’ His voice breaks into silence as he holds his frail looking childlike sister close in the embrace, petting her hair, trying hard to calm her.

She pulls away, hissing in anger, looking at her brother, ‘you say now that you won’t leave but in time you will start another plan to leave. To vanish. Run away.’ Her voice cracks as she lets out a heart wrenching sob, putting her hands back over her face, ‘You’d leave me again. That’s what you’d do. Just leave me here to feed the wolves alone.’

He shook his head, his eyes showing pain from deep inside, ‘No, I am the real curse here. I shouldn’t have left like I did. I admit I abandoned you. I’m sorry. And yet you hear not my words of pain and grief, turning me away like an unwanted child. But I’ll not go. Not this time.’ He stood tall, looking at his sister. ‘I’ve lost you once. I’m not here to lose you again.’ Again he took her into his strong arms, holding her in the embrace as if never to let go, afraid of losing her in a void of hopelessness once again.

She held back her tears for a moment, realizing he really isn’t leaving then wrapped her arms around him. Feeling safe once again, but not completely. Her voice soft yet firm said, ‘I love thee, with all my heart. Forgive me?’

Part 2

Soft music flowed through the air as the bards took up their instruments and the crowded tavern began to refill with joyous laughter, talking, and drunken bouts. As the owner and her brother reentered the room, they were greeted with smiles, a glass of wine for each, and a happy, welcoming hug from friends.

“Welcome back, Old Timer,” a young voice said from the shadows. “And Sister dear, love of all, you never looked…” the voice paused, as a chuckle was let out. A tall, handsome half-elf male exited the darkened corner and revealed himself in the light. “Wow! You look astonishing, Beloved Sister.”

“Over time I knew you’d come back!” She exclaimed as she ran into the open arms of her other brother.

“Aye, Sweet Kali. Couldn’t stay long from my family and home. And I see our brother has returned too,” he replied, his arms still around his sister as his golden-purple eyes met the golden-green eyes of his brother.

“Michael. It is nice to see you, Younger Brother. You never looked better.” The eldest walked up and held out his hand, which Michael grasped with his own as both smiled. The silver rings on their hands began to glow immensely as their sister put her ringed hand on top of the two clasped hands. “Always together. Always three,” the eldest said softly.

Kali smiled. “Always three.” She looked from the hands to each of her brother’s eyes. “How good it is to see you both.”

Michael put his ringed hand to Kali’s face, smiling reassuringly. “It is always nice to see my family. Though my work will call me back soon enough.”

Kali nodded then lightly kissed her brother’s hand. “Well, since you’re both here, I’ve got news to tell you.”

Both brothers’ faces lit up as they led Kali to her chair by the fireplace and took the extra two chairs across from her. The three looked so happy to be reunited, but something haunted each. They all knew they’d have to part ways again. Not now, but soon. So as the night went on, the three laughed and cried many times. Kali’s daughter joined them before bed, and crawled into her uncles’ laps, kissed their cheeks lightly, hugged their necks, then climbed off.

“You’ve done well, Sister Love.” David said as he watched his niece walk up the stairs to her bedroom. “The tavern is lively and happy. Your child is beautiful. You are still beautiful as a rose.” His smile faded slightly as he looked to his sisters’ pale face.

Michael stayed silent looking at his sister, worried. He knew why they were together again. He had known when he first hugged her. She was dying. Though young, everything that could’ve helped her a long time ago wouldn’t help her now. Her eyes had said it all as the fire licked her soft pale skin. Unshed tears of pain were laden on her lashes. He turned towards David when he heard him sigh, and then sighed himself.

Kali’s looked at her brothers, smiling softly, trying to keep them happy. But she knew that they knew. They could almost feel her pain, though they didn’t show it. Their eyes explained their feelings. There was hurt, because they were useless to help her, but also love for her. She wanted to tell them everything would be all right, but she knew in her heart that she would soon be gone. She could only think of it as abandonment.

The elder brother sat back in his chair, looking from his brother to his sister, and cleared his throat uneasily. “Silence. Breaks the heart, doesn’t it?” He took a long look into his sisters’ eyes. “We know why you called us here even though we can’t help now. Why didn’t you tell us earlier, when we could’ve helped you?”

A tear rolled down the pale young woman’s face as she closed her eyes. She didn’t know how to answer her brother’s question. “I didn’t want to worry you. Plus, I knew you had made plans on leaving and I knew that I couldn’t stop either of you. What kind of selfish act would it have been if I made you stay when you wanted to leave?”

Michael stood up, rage compelling him to do so. “Kali! We are your blood, your family. Bonded for life. We would’ve stayed if you were sick and needed our help.” He looked to David, who nodded to him and their sister. “We worried every night we knew you didn’t sleep. We always worried.” He knelt in front of his sisters’ chair, tears now streaming down his face. He took her hands into his, looking deep into her dark golden-blue eyes. “We love you. I love you. But why?”

Kali stirred in her chair a moment before breaking the eye contact and looking to the fire. Her voice was soft as she began to speak. “I held you too close sometimes. You needed to get away.” She lifted a hand to wipe the tears from Michael’s cheeks, and then leaned in to kiss his forehead softly. “I love you both. I loved you so much I let you leave.”

Part 3

Kali stood up slowly, looking at her brothers, realizing how much alike they had become. The eldest being human looked young at his age; with the elven blood she had given to save his life was taking mighty effect on him. His hair had grown though his beard was gone. He looked the same as when she first met him. She then looked to her other brother, the half-elf. His dark hair brushed his ears lightly, his eyes, which would glow deeply in the light of the pulsing flames of the fire, were beautiful. She smiled inside at the thought of how he always wanted a beard but it just wouldn’t grow.

As she looked at her brothers, her eyes glanced around the room. The tavern’s main room was now empty save a few night customers and the bartender, Kali’s uncle Darikk. She noticed it looked same, as it had been the first night she opened it. “Oh me,” she sighed as she realized she knew it wouldn’t be long now before she was going to be gone. Then darkness flooded her vision and the feeling of falling.

Michael jumped to Kali’s side when he saw her eyes roll back and her body go limp as she fainted. With his sister is his arms, he picked her up and set her onto the couch near by, slowly making sure she was still breathing.

David rushed to his siblings’ sides as Michael set Kali onto the couch, “Is she alright?” He ran his hand over her forehead softly, putting his other hand on his brothers shoulder, “She just fainted, tis late for her, and even for us, to be up. T’was a long day.” He picked the young woman up into his arms, nodding to his brother, “Go get some sleep now. I’ll care for her. We’ll talk more in the morning.” Just before heading up the staircase, David looked back to his brother who was on the floor still, “Sleep well, Young Brother.”

Michael nodded solemnly as he watched David walk up the stairs with his beloved sister. Almost read to cry, he boosted himself onto he couch, lay back and closed his eyes, remembering. Remembering things he had hoped he had forgotten.

As the night grew on the tavern began to grow dark. Only things heard were the crackle of the dieing fire and the light snoring of Michael on the couch.

All around the shadows whispered, curious voices whispered, curious thoughts heard. “They’ve reunited,” they’d say, “Let us protect them. The Enternal Three are together again.” Hisses and whispers were silenced as the bartender walked in.

His grayish black hair flowed slightly over his shoulders, his eyes; a faint blue-ice gray, glared into the shadows. The fires uncooling flames, which grew as he stood there, lit up his human features. “Ye shadows cannot protect the Three, they must protect themselves. As I, Darikk, wish to protect and save my cousin’s life, I know fate must play its part,” his voice spoke coarsely towards the shadows, they in turn rippled with pain they heard and felt in his words.

“But, Master, ye told us to protect the Enternal Three. Now are we not supposed to?” many voices cried out at the same time. The shadows moved closer towards Darikk, each in a humanlike form. Only soft green eyes were seen in the darkness that made each form.

Darikk lowered his eyes, sighing heavily, “I know I created ye all to protect my cousin and her brothers. But I am telling ye all now, there in nothing we can do to help Miss Kali or to keep Masters David and Michael here unwillingly.” He looked up as one shadow formed into a beautiful female.

Her hair like golden silver rays, her eyes a light pale green, her small smile made Darikk feel warm inside. Her voice as she spoke was like a flavored wing passing through a rainbow cavern, “Darikk, Love of Mistress Ravenia, we know you feel helpless but you can help. I unlike the rest feel as if the only thing to do is see this through.” She lifted a hand and softly brushed Darikk’s cheek, who in turn kissed the inside of her wrist and pulled away.

The forms disappeared when Michael stirred and woke to find Darikk standing there. Sitting up, Michael eyed the bartender, “Who were you talking to?”

Darikk smiled, “Only the shadow’s, Milord, only the shadows.” He bowed slightly, “How did ye sleep, Lord Michael?” He started toward the bar when Michael voiced him to stop.

“Friend, Just sit with me,” Michael said sleepily as he stretched then relaxed again. “Tell me something? And please answer faithfully.”

The bartender made his way towards a chair across from the weary fighter. Sighing in relief at finally resting his tired bones into the plush chair, he looked to Michael with curious eyes, “Ask yer question, Friend.”

Michael made eye contact that would’ve made any foe cower and run, his eyes burned fierce making Darikk move uneasily, “If you knew my sister was terribly sick, would you have sent for David and I and quicker than another friend or family we know?”

Darikk put his hands onto the arms of the chair, breathing deeply, and looked to the fire, “Well, if my cousin begs me not to send for ye both, I’d go against her will and wishes.” He looked into the fearless warrior’s eyes and grinned, “Though she’d have my head on a platter when she found out, my duty to protect her and care for her comes first.”

Michael nodded, looking to the fire, “I knew I’d be able to trust you, Darikk. There was never a time David or I couldn’t trust you.” He closed his eyes and sighed, “Thankye.”

Darikk nodded and stood up, “For the Three, I’d do anything.” He bowed slightly and walked towards the back door. Darikk was getting too old for his job but it’d seen be over. “Though,” he sighed, softly talking to himself, “maybe not long enough.” Into the darkness, he disappears.

Part 4

David slumped into a chair beside Kali’s bed, yawning. He’d been watching his sister all day since she first walked through the tavern door. He watched her get pale and tired. Now he was watching her sleep silently, stirring every once and awhile. “Poor child. She works hard, maybe too hard,” he sighed, yawning again. Slowly sleep took over David’s body and the images of the past flooded to his mind.

Slowly the child made her way out of the woods into a small clearing where a large building stood. In the 6 year olds eyes it looked like a large log cabin by an unending, beautiful lake. It looked like home.

Making her way towards the building, soft talking was heard as she neared and peeked into the door. In the main room, three people sat. Two of them looked like males, one elf and one human, and the other female, a nymph. Their eye’s, golden against the darkness in the room, glowed softly.

She let her curiosity get to her as she moved into the doorway, staring at the three figures. They all looked at her suddenly as the floorboards creaked under her foot. She held her breath, staring into those eyes.

“Do you think she’s lost?” The female said softly to the others. She stood up and walked towards the young child. “Are ye lost or hurt, Young Mistress?” Her angelic long silver hair flowed over her shoulders as she spoke.

“No,” the child said, softly but firmly. Her dark blue eyes looked deeply into the woman’s golden eyes, “Not lost or hurt. Is this place yours?”

The men chuckled and stood up, walked towards the two females and bowed. The blonde haired one smiled and took one of the child’s hands, “I’m Stephen Kalen. First of the Enternal Three.” He kissed her hand then stepped away slightly, “And yes this is our place. But might I ask what is your name, Young One?”

She blushed and curtsied, “My name is Kali, Sirs and Madam. I’m orphaned from a place far off and unseen. I know not where my mother or father is. I’ve been running in the woods after my mother told me to and I ended up here two days later. I’ve forgotten my way home and I feel this is my home now.” She looked around, smiling.

Stephen nodded and looked to the dark haired man who took Kali’s other hand and kissed it. “Then, Sweet Kali, ye are welcome here. I’m Darikk Kalen, Third of the Enternal Three. Pleasure to meet ye, Elven beauty,” he said softly, pushing Kali’s silver braided hair behind her ears, smiling.

The woman kissed Kali’s forehead softly, “I’m Teria Kalen, Second of the Enternal Three.” She brushed Kali’s cheek lightly and smiled.

Kali for once felt at home, their golden eyes had enveloped her warmly and with each kiss they laid on her skin, she felt even more at home. She smiles, “I’m home. Finally home.”

Kali stirred in her sleep, waking up suddenly. “Teria! Stephen!” She cried out, but no one answered. She sat up in her bed, looking around. David was reclined in a chair to the right of her and the candle on her left had burnt down almost to the holder. It had to have been past midwatch by at least 2 hours. “That dream, it happened exactly like that,” she sighed, putting her head into her hands.

“I can’t do it,” Kali said throwing the lute to the ground, putting her hands to her face and cried.

Stephen took the small child into his arms, rocking her gently and petting her hair lightly, softly soothing her, “There, there, Sweet Kali. Do not fret; you’ll see the music is easy soon enough. It’ll be easy for you because your hands were made for it.”

Kali sniffled and looked at her hands, “ But I’m only 8, my hands aren’t big enough to do what you ask, Uncle Stephen.”

The blonde haired man chuckled, looked at the lute on the floor, which it turn levitated up and into his open hand. He set Kali beside him and placed the lute in a playing position.

As he strummed the lute, Kali watched intently. She could feel the notes begin to show her how to play. Though she couldn’t explain how they did it, she knew she could do it. “ I get it now,” she said happily, still watching her uncle play.

As Stephen kept playing the lute, two more instruments joined the song. Teria on a paccolo, a miniature flute that is held like a clarinet, and Darikk on his wonderful glicien, an instrument constructed like a lute but was held with the neck towards the floor. It was beautiful music to hear.

Kali watched the three play. But as soon as she closed her eyes the music stopped, quick to open them her line of sight was hooked on a figure in the doorway of the tavern. To her the figure wasn’t much taller than she but when she stood up, she knew her assumptions were off base.

“I’m sorry for intruding but I was in the woods and heard that beautiful music,” said the figure in a man’s deep baritone voice. As he walked into the light, he’s eyes become dark green that enhanced his human features. Bowing again, “ I’m sorry again,” he said, turning to leave.

“Wait, Stranger. Ye are welcome here,” Darikk said making his way toward the man in the doorway. “We never send strangers out when they seem to need shelter. Come. Sit. Tell us yer name,” Darikk found the weary looking man a chair and put a cup of soup into his hands.

The man couldn’t help but smile. “My name is David Talrin,” he said looking straight at Kali, who blushed and smiled.

Part 5

Michael woke up, finding himself in a sitting position. Yawning, he looked around then got up. “Must be a few hours past midwatch,” he thought to himself as he walked past a window towards the stairs going up.

He stood at the bottom of the steps, taking another look around, “It never seems to change.” He looked towards the fireplace, staring at his sister’s chair, then he sighed and started up the stairs.

When at the top, he looked down the hallway towards the sitting room, or what used to be the sitting room, and saw kali sitting up in her bed, knees curled to her chest. He made his way toward the door, when he saw David sleeping in a chair to his left. “Kali? You OK?” he said softly, hoping not to wake his brother.

Kali looked up at Michael, wiping her wet cheeks hoping to conceal that she’d been crying, “I’m alright. Just had a nightmare. That’s all.” She managed a smile but it faded quickly, “I wish Stephen and Teria were here.” Tears began to flow down her cheeks again.

Michael walked to the bed, sat behind his sister and put his arms around her, trying to sooth her tears, “S’alright. Everything is OK. I miss them too. I really do.” He held his sister close, feeling her body relax as she went to sleep. Soon relaxed himself and still holding Kali in his arms, he too fell asleep.

“Teria?” Kali looked around into the woods about her, Teria and Darikk had brought her out there, in the middle of the woods, to teach her something but she wondered off the trail and was now lost. “Darikk?! Can you hear me?” she yelled and screamed for them, but no one came or answered. Crying, Kali huddled next to a tree and sat there, hoping someone would find her.

Without knowing when she fell asleep, she suddenly woke to find herself bundled up in a blanket by a fire. She sat up and looked around, trying to figure out where she was.

“Finally you are awake. I worried the cold gotten to you and frozen ya solid,” a young man’s voice said from the other side of the fire, “ you’re a bit young to be wonderin’ out here in the woods alone, ain’tcha?”

Kali just sat there staring at the man. He was handsome and his eyes, his purple eyes were beautiful. She tried hard to look away but couldn’t, “I was with my family and wondered off, got lost and I suppose fell asleep.” She finally looked to the fire, slightly embarrassed.

The young man chuckled, “Well, in the morn’ we’ll look for your family. By the way, my name’s Michael. What’s yours?”

“Kali. Kali Kalen. My house is at the edge of the woods, we can just go there,” she closed her eyes and thought of how worried everyone is right now.

“A’ight. We’ll find your house in the morn’, but right now I bet your hungry, Eh?” Michael handed Kali a plate full of corn and mashed boasic’s, a potato like food. “Don’t worry about me poisoning ya, your too cute for that,” he chuckled.

Kali blushed and took the plate. She took a bite, then a second then dove in and ate the rest. It was delicious with the butter and everything nice and hot, it was filling.

After dinner, Michael told Kali stories of his adventures and Kali entertained Michael by singing. Soon they fell asleep with the mission of finding home in the morning on their minds.

Home. Kali woke to find herself in Michaels’ arms where she’d fallen asleep last night after he’d found her awake, crying. She looked towards David who was awake, looking over them, smiling. She smiled at him and then noticed Michael was awake as well, “Morning,” she said sleepily.

“Morning, Sweet Rose. Did you sleep well? Did both of you sleep well?” David said in a tired voice.

“Well considering my bed was the couch down stairs half the night, then the other half as Kali’s pillow. I slept quite well,” Michael yawned then chuckled.

Kali stirred a moment before answering. Trying to recollect the dreams in her mind. She looked at David then up at Michael, who kissed her forehead and smiled, “I slept OK. I dreamt about how I first came open the tavern and meeting Stephen, Teria and Darikk. I also had dreams of how I met you both. Though I swear it wasn’t a dream but real. Like it happened all over again.”

David and Michael looked at each other briefly. Michael’s arms went a bit tighter around Kali as he held her close, “I had a dream of the night I met you, too,” his voice was soft and full of tiredness.

“Aye, I had a dream of how I came upon the tavern and met you, Kali Sweet,” David’s voice spoke lightly, “We’ve grown so much alike we forgot we were so different and not even related.”

Kali nodded, “But we are related now. And we always will be.” She knew they were brought together in the beginning by fate and it was fate that had brought them together again, “Stephen always said we were to find each other twice in our life times. We are family.” She looked into David’s golden-green eyes and kissed Michael’s hands.

Michael again held her tighter, hoping he’d never have to let go, “Yes, we are family. Always and forever.” He closed his eyes slowly, feeling Kali get weaker. He couldn’t help but let a tear slip from under his lashes, she was so dear to everyone and everyone would miss her, but not as much as David or himself. She was their sister.

Part 6

“Oh, Teria, Stephen,” Darikk said softly to himself as he looked out over the lake at the sunrise. He was confused on what to do now that Kali was dieing, “Help me, Cousin. Give me strength, Sister. Please.”

In the morning dew two figures appeared. Darikk looked up and smiled. The figures in turn smiled and were just about to talk when the sun rose completely and they vanished.

With a sigh, Darikk boosted himself to his feet and turned towards the tavern, softly saying as he looked back at the calm water, “I, too, shall be joining ye both soon along with the child sweet.”

Coming up upon the back door of the tavern, Darikk heard the voices of Kali and her brothers. They were talking about Teria and Stephen. Darikk closed his eyes as a sharp pain entered his heart, “I miss them so much,” he thought to himself. He opened his eyes and walked through the door, “Morning, Cousin, Milord’s.”

“Darikk, Cousin. Morning to you, too,” Kali said, smiling softly. She walked towards Darikk, kissed his cheek and led him towards the table her brothers were seated.

Michael and David nodded to Darikk and smiled, “T’was a beautiful sun rise, Eh Friend?” David said motioning Darikk to sit in the extra chair that Michael pulled up.

“Aye. Very beautiful,” Darikk said softly as he set his tired body into the offered chair with a deep sigh. He looked at Kali as she joined them with four mugs full of soup. He smiled as she sat down and giggled, “What is it, Child Sweet? Was there something funny that this bag’o’bones missed?”

Kali smiled softly, “No, Cousin Dearest, I just remembered when Teria had told me to look into your eyes after you seen a sunrise. She was right, your eyes do catch the sun’s rays.” She giggled again, the golden color to her eyes softly glowing.

Michael moved uneasily, taking a look at Darikk, “I know that soon everything will change, but is there a way to save my,” he paused, looked from Kali to David then to the table, “our sister?”

“Master Michael, if I could, though I can’t, I would heal her myself, but without Stephen and Teria its no use,” Darikk looked thoughtfully at the three, “ besides you three have out power. The power of the Enternal Three.”

David nodded and looked at his sister who was brushing her hand lightly over Michael’s cheek. Michael was clenching his fist then relaxed it as Kali’s hand ran softly on his skin. Kali’s eyes were full of fear as she looked from Michael to David. All three were thinking the same thing…

Kali could hear them all fighting down stairs. Tears were in her eyes just hearing them yell, scream and holler at one another. Though muffled by the door and the floor below her bed it seemed closer like in her mind.

She curled up under the blankets, holding her stuffed drake doll close, hoping the fighting would stop. The voices were clear in her mind as if the five fighting were beside her. She put her hand over her ears to block it out but only made it louder and closer.

Hot, stinging tears ceased as she crawled off the bed, walked to the door, opened it, and walks down the hallway towards the stairs. Being careful of where she stepped, she sat at the top of the stairs to listen.

“NO! DO you think we can do that? With Kali being hunted now and David and I doing out best to protect her, we can’t just leave!” Michael’s voice was dominant and firm, Kali hadn’t heard him talk like that before.

“Michael, Love, you must leave. It’s not safe anymore for either of you. Brethren of the child and you’ll die holding that title, but not now, its not your time,” the soft, sweet voice of Teria reigned for a moment, ringing in Kali’s ears.

“But that’s just it! We took an oath to protect her as her brothers. Michael and I aren’t going to break it,” David cried in a pain-filled voice.

“You don’t have to break your oath’s,” Stephen said as Kali climbed down a few more steps to get a better view of the room. David and Michael were standing by the fireplace, Stephen was sitting in the long back chair off to the left of the brothers, and Teria and Darikk were on the right of the brother on the green mossy-like couch. “No one asked you to break the oath you took, but the child…” his voice trailed off when Darikk raised his eye’s to meet Stephen’s.

“What is wrong with Kali? Is she sick? Or in real danger of dieing?” Michael looked from Stephen to the two on the couch, who looked away from him, “Tell me something. Pease. This is my only sister, my love, MY LIFE! What is going on?!”

Kali could see Michael was crying when David put a hand on his shoulder, “I don’t know what’s going on,” she thought to herself. She felt tears roll down her cheeks as she could feel Michael crying. It hurt. The pain inside was so bad and tormenting she wanted to scream.

“Both of you should sit,” Stephen’s hand moved slightly and two chairs appeared behind the two brothers, who slowly sat down. “Kali is a gifted child and wherever she came from is where they are going to take her. If you stay here, you will die.”

Part 7

Stephen’s golden eyes were growing dim even with the light of the fire shining into them. He sighed, folding his hands into his lap, looking directly at the brothers, “Kali is the last of the elven family Kalen and she is also the last descendant of Derian. She was orphaned at a young age because her parents were killed while the Great Elven Clan war raged. Now I know that war has been done and over with for at least eighty years now, and even Kali doesn’t seem over 19 years old, nor does she act her age but she’s older than eighty.”

Michael, David, and even Kali on the stairs were surprised to hear this. Kali’s mouth dropped, how could he know so much? How did he know I was part and even last of each family? She hadn’t peeped a word in the last 10 years she had lived with Stephen or even to anyone at that matter. Then she looked into his eyes, his beautiful golden eyes. She looked away, startled, covering her mouth.

“He… He…Oh my…” she whispered to herself. She knew how he could know everything about her. He was Uncle Kalen, she remembered the first day when they said their names. Kalen. She was too young to figure that out till now. “Uncle Stephen Kalen. Mom’s brother,” she though, “family. Real family.” She looked back at Stephen, who now looked older but yet strong.

“How do you know all this? I mean we know she calls you uncle, but are you really related?” David asked. In his mind everything was in a confused mess. Kali’s older than eighteen, much, much older than eighty as well. What is going on?

“She is my niece. Her mother was my younger sister. Genia had been here only a few times since I had moved here with Darikk and Teria, whom are my cousins,” Stephen’s voice was becoming hoarse and very soft, as if he was aging right now, “as well as Kali’s cousins. Genia also came here when Kali was born because of the war. Kali, who I’m mostly worried about, was probably too young to remember everything I had told her when she was at least six.”

Kali though back, suddenly the room look so very familiar. In Michael’s chair was her father, Dustin Derian and replacing David was a beautiful woman, her long silver hair flowed over her shoulders and off the edge of the chair. Her face was like a sunrise on a white lake, so very beautiful. “Mommy,” Kali mumbled, and then the image was gone. Tears rolled down her cheeks, remembering her mother was painful for her. The main memory was her mother dieing. She would’ve been dead if her mother hadn’t made the run for the woods with her.

“She was a brave woman, Child Sweet,” Darikk said calmly. She hadn’t noticed he had walked over to the stairs and sat beside her. “She was beautiful, too,” He put his arms around Kali as if knowing she needed it and had to cry. He closed his eyes, listening to her muffled sobs, which she needed to do. He slowly let her go and led her down the stairs, “Its better if you sit with us. You’ll feel better.” Sitting her down into a chair in between the gap from David’s and Stephens chairs.

Stephen smiled softly, “How long did you think you could hide there without us knowing?”

“Wasn’t hiding, just listening, Uncle. Why didn’t you help me remember? I didn’t remember anything you told me then till now,” She didn’t smile, her face looked as if concentrating, “ you told me that the war was soon and I was a chosen one and… and…” She locked eye contact with Stephen.

“And I also told you that you wouldn’t remember till the time was right,” softly as he reached into his tunic and brought out a necklace she’d never seen. The ring that was on the necklace was what caught attention. Engraved on it was “Kali Lyria Kalen-Derian” all the way around.

Michael looked at Kali then the ring, then back to Kali, “Some trick. That’s all this is.” He stood up and walked to Kali’s chair, kneeling in front of her, “Let us leave, Please. My sister, my love, lets go now.”

Teria appeared at Michael’s side, whispering into his ear, then looked to Kali’s green eyes, her voice was heard in Kali’s mind but not aloud, “Daughter of Cousin Genia, my beloved cousin. We knew it would be hard for you to cope at your young age. Look at the ring. It was yours, present from us. Darikk crafted it, Stephen wrote your name, and I put magic to it. Remember, Sweet Kali.” She returned to her seat, leaving Michael slightly dazed.

“I remember everything now but I want to know why you’re sending my brothers away!” She looked at Darikk to Teria then Stephen, “Why send them away from me now?” She felt Michael’s hand over her own on her lap, and looked down at him.

Darikk cleared his throat, “Well, first of all we don’t feel they need to be part of yer life,” David started to protest then Darikk went on, “Second, we need to teach you about yer powers. Ye are gifted and special. Yer powers are all that our home people want.”

“What powers? What are you talking about?” Kali thought, looking deep into Darikk’s eyes.

“You’ve got the power to do anything. You can make a purple rose grow out of a stone if you could concentrate,” Teria said in her mind.

“Yet you’re sending them away!” Kali said aloud.

“We have to,” was all that they had left to say. “We have to.”

Part 8

“Stephen and Teria would be here if it weren’t for me. Should’ve never came.” Kali stood up and ran up the stairs to her room.

Michael looked after her longingly, stopping Darikk as he started to walk after Kali. “Just sit, friend. She’ll be fine, I promise.” He got up, sat the bartender in to his chair and made his way to the stairs.

At the top, Michael looked down the hallway, hearing the quiet sobs of his sister. “Kali?” Walking down towards her bedroom, stopping at the door, which the sobs were coming from. Knocking, knowing this used to be Stephens room, “Kali? Have?”

“Go Away!” Kali cried through her sobs, “just go away.”

Michael could see her curled up in a far corner, leaning against where Stephen would find her, “Now, Love, You know I can’t just go away. You also know that it wasn’t your fault that Stephen and Teria are gone. It was their choice to give you their lives. Don’t you remember?

She looked up at him, wiping her eyes, “they didn’t have to. I told them not to.” She curled up, knees to chest, hair practically covering her body like a blanket, and her arms holding her legs tight against her body.

Michael half smiled as he looked at the twenty year old looking woman. To him she was beautiful. She was more than beautiful; she was like a picture, a perfect picture. What was the word she used when she sat out at the edge of the lake? That one word to describe the glowing moons over the mountains with the night dragons flying in the sky. Danon! He thought, Danon.

“Danon,” he whispered, smiling.

Kali looked up, “what?”

“Danon, that’s what,” He grinned and walked over to her, held out his hand, which she took lifted her from the floor and held her. Held her tight, whispering, “your still my love. So I can’t just leave. That’s hard, harder now, too. Considering I left for three years for no reason and came back to find out your sick. I also came back to ask you if you would consider marrying me. And it wouldn’t be bad or anything cuz I really am not your brother, and all.”

Kali giggled, “Everyone in the tavern know you and David aren’t my real brothers.” She took a deep breath, happy to be in Michael’s arms again, “Has it really been three years? And yet you still remember some of my language, or was it giving you a headache?” She giggled again.

“Danon, haro, micea, um I think that’s all I can remember. Three years seemed short when I see you hadn’t changed. I mean your… bewitching still.” Chuckled Michael as he loosened his arms and sat on the bed in the middle of the room, taking a hold of Kali’s hands. “You still didn’t answer me,” looking up at her questioningly, “so?”

Kali grimed, “Well, I don’t know. What would all those other guys say?” She giggle as she seen Michaels eyes glow. “Yes.”

“Really?” Michael’s eyes lit up.

She nodded, leaned down and kissed him. In her mind, “soft, nomon. His lips against mine.” She closed her eyes, wrapped her arms around his neck, “Glowing eyes, glowing golden eyes. Soft, nomon.”

He kissed back softly, thinking happily about how good things will be.

“Kali! Michael!” A female voice sounded at the door.

The two pulled out of the kiss, Kali blushing and Michael standing up, pulling Kali close before she could disappear, “Yes?” as he looked towards the tall woman in the doorway, “What do you want, Jisa Te?”

The young, dark haired woman stuttered, “I, uh, was looking for Kali. Sorry I came at a bad moment,” she said walking more into the room, the light from the window in the roof struck and carried the nymphs color changing eyes, “Why were you kissed? You shouldn’t do that.”

Kali put her arms around her “brother”, her eyes closed, cheeks still red though her face was buried in Michael’s tunic, “What do you want, Jisa Te?” Kali muffled into the cloth. “Jisa, you do know Michael and I aren’t really related, so why do you think we shouldn’t?”

Jisa avoided eye contact with Michael’s beast like eyes, “Just wanted you…” She trailed off then walked out silently.

Michael put his arms over Kali shoulders, down her back to rest on the small of her back, “Don’t fret, Sweet One. If they all find out, they’ll have to accept it like they did with Lady and Lord Mayli.” He kissed the top of her head, closing his eyes with the thought that after almost seven years of waiting to ask her to marry him the answer was yes.

“Michael?” Kali pulled from him just enough to look into his eyes, “What will David say?”

Michael saw fear and worry in her eyes, “He and I already spoke about it. He thinks it’s the best for Jynine as well to have a father and he also explained to Jynine about everything.” Softly he kissed the tip of her nose and pulled her close again.

Safety. Warmth. Love. Home… Her mind was repeating the words over and over, though she was happy, complete, she didn’t get the words. Then she realized the words were spoken in different voices. Teria’s soft voice and Stephen’s music singing voice. “Danon,” she whispered in her mind, which the voice repeated, “Danon nodia ka.” Beautiful sunrise light. Danon nodia ka, she repeated it over in her head, smiling more and more. Danon nodia ka, Danon nodia ka.

“Nodia ka, sunrise light,” Teria’s voice said, “Ka, lovaurie tely, light, beginning of a new day,” Stephen’s voice sung. Then slowly the words and voices faded, all that was left was Michael holding Kali, both smiling.

Part 9

Down the stairs, out the front door, past the pastures, in the trees of the thick forest, a man sat. He sat at the edge of the wood line, hidden in the trees, watching people, the coming and going travelers. But mostly he was watching the family of the tavern. The Kalen family, Kali in particular, the last real Dorian-Kalen born.

“Let’s see. Michael is up stairs with Kali. David and Darikk are,” he looked through the window, being a ranger gave him good sight, “in the main room. Yes right there.”

David could feel happiness in his body, all over, but then uneasiness fell upon him. He looked out the window towards the woods, right at the ranger. Though he didn’t see the man, he knew someone was out there, somewhere.

“So, do you think Jynine will be ready to run the tavern?” Darikk said while watching the contents in his glass grow no more or less than it was.

David shrugged, “If she isn’t, Michael and I can take over till she is. I mean, if she’s anything like her mother, she’ll learn what she needs, add more to it and be able to fill Kali’s place.” He wrapped his fingers around the shot glass and drank the contents then put the empty glass down, “Though I know Michael will leave soon after she’s gone, I’ll be here to help my niece.”

Darikk sighed heavily, “Only if I could stay. But the council of Vale needs a member of Kalen to fill a spot.”

David just sat there nodding, not really wanting to say anything. He still could feel someone watching him. He stood up, excusing himself to go outside, leaving the drunken man to continue fiddling with the half empty glass.

He grabbed his cloak from beside the door, nodded greetings and farewells to all he knew, and walked out. After walking a few feet from the horse trough just outside the door, he looked to the sky. Two hours or so past noon watch, he thought, the night travelers will be showing up soon.

Again he felt uneasy but it was even worse. He looked to the woods, again right at the ranger. “Tigen noi,” David said in Elvin as he walked towards the woods, “Sorna de banya?”

“Qo vina, Sonti David,” answered a man’s voice from the woods, “I’m no harm. I intended no threat either.” A cloaked figure walked from the wood, a cross bow in his gloved hand, metal arrows in a sachet strapped on his back, and from what David could see a short sword at his side. His hood shaded his face but it let braids of hair floor over his chest.

“If you are no harm or threat, why are you here? Who are you?” David asked cautiously. To him the stranger was maybe to his chin which is about 5’6” and to his knowledge most rangers are skilled with good fighting reflexes and can disappear in a bush if need be.

The ranger bows deeply, “My name is Qotan of the Wood. I’m here to visit my daughter, Jynine.” He grinned, pushing back his hood revealing a beautiful and handsome Elvin face.

“Kali said Jynine’s father was dead,” David said, not believing what the ranger said.

“She likes to believe I am dead. Please, let me explain something. It’s a short story. Kali and I are old friends, I can here about a year before you left and a few months after Michael left. I fell in love with her and she with me but it was just a month after she had conceived Jynine, though we didn’t know, we parted paths and became friends. So, you see, Kali says Jynine’s father is dead because,” he paused, sighing, “I told her to.”

David still not relaxed, looked Qotan over, “Does Jynine know?”

Qotan shook his head, “She knows me as the Woodman, Kali’s friend,” he chuckled, “but Kali and I aren’t going to tell’er either.”

“Why? I mean she is your daughter.”

“NO! She can’t know,” Qotan looked into David’s eyes, “It’d be hard for us three, specially kali. I can back to help her take care of Jynine. Don’t ruin it for us. I love them both. A lot.”

David bowed his head, “Now I couldn’t do something to hurt my sister.”

“Thankye,” the ranger mumbled.

“But if you ever leave Jynine at the wrong time, I’ll hunt you down and tie you to the wall.” David grinned, putting a hand on Qotan’s shoulder; who lifted his head, smiling unsurely. “ Hey, if there is any time you do come by and just sit in the woods, at least make some sign you’re here. I bet Jynine would like to talk to you.”

“Alright,” the ranger nodded, “um, David, how long till Kali dies?”

David sighed, “Well, at least a month or two. It’s not known for certain.”

Qotan mumbled something in Elvin before looking up to a child running from the tavern.

“Woodman! Woodman!” Jynine shouted, running over to her uncle and father.

Qotan opened his arms, taking the small child into them, hugging her, “Hello, Angel Child.”

David smiled. He noticed that Jynine had Qotan’s dark brown eyes and looked a bit like him, “I’ll leave you both, I’ve got to find out what’s got Kali and Michael so happy,” he grinned, kissed Jynine’s forehead, lightly patted Qotan’s back then started back towards the tavern.

“David!” Michael shouted from up stairs.

David found Michael holding Kali’s limp body against his on the floor. Her nose was bleeding and she was pale. He rushed to Michael’s side and began to dab at the blood with a cloth.

Michael was crying and trying to talk, “She said yes and then I was holding her, then she said something in Elvin but not in her voice, then she collapsed as if she had been it.” He kept brushing his hand over Kali’s cheek, tears streaming down his own cheeks.

“What did she say? Tell me what did she say?”

“Nodia ka mi tanio,” Michael whispered in a semi coarse voice.

Part 10

“Nodia ka mi tanio,” David repeated in his head as they, Michael and himself, set Kali onto the bed. “Was there anything else she said?”

“No, she just said ‘Nodia ka mi tanio’ and that’s it,” Michael kept holding Kali’s hands. “What does it mean, David? What does that phrase mean?”

David walked to the door, looked out then shut it. Turning towards Michael, leaning against the door, “I’m not certain exactly what but from what I do know and what Kali has taught me, it means ‘Let the sun rise on me no more.’” He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck, “We’ve got to find Tarnas.”

“Tranas? Why him? He doesn’t know what to do, and surely he can’t save her.”

“He is a healer and can postpone her on coming death! You do want to be married before she dies! Don’t you?!”

“How’d you know about us wanting to get married?” Michael asked in a shocked voice, as if not knowing whom he was talking to.

“I am bonded by blood to her from when she saved my life. I get thoughts from her. Plus you told me before.”

Michael looked to Kali, bringing a hand up to his lips, kissing it lightly, “I do love her.”

David jumped when there was a knock at the door. When he opened it, he saw Jisa Te standing there holding a tray with a steaming bowl of cream soup, “Mondie, Sonti David. Mondie, Sonti Michael. I brought Sontia Kali her soup she always has at this time.” She looked at Kali, “Tis sumting wrong with her?”

Michael mumbled something, but David answered Jisa Te that she was feeling faint and needed rest. He took the tray from the young woman and shooed her away. He set the tray down beside the bed, looked at Michael and sighs, “You can’t just sit there and hope she’ll just wake up. Let her sleep.”

Michael nodded, “You’re right. I guess I’ll go find Tarnas.” He leaned down, kissed Kali’s pale cheek lightly then proceeded with David’s help to cover her up, “She had to pick Stephen’s room, too, didn’t she?”

David chuckled softly, “He always is watching her, more so in here than anywhere else.”

“Aye,” Michael half whispered and walked out.

David sighed, “What he must be going through is hell.” He kissed the sleeping woman’s forehead then walked out himself.

“Nodia ka mi tanio,” Kali said when she looked out across the bed at a figure. The figure grinned; nodding then darkness flooded her vision.

“Sontia Kali. Sio di fedi.” The figure was still there. His short blonde hair brushed his shoulders, his eyes were a greenish red color, and his voice was a comfort to hear. “Sio de fedi,” he repeated.

“Noi di moa nosgi,” she answered. He was speaking in her language. Sio de fedi, do I trust him?? What does he want? “Mi nodio fe moli,” she added.

“Kodia di nasogi, Sontia Kali,” he replied, “I’m not here to hurt ye, Milady. Silverwing sent me to see ye. I’m Antar Ravencall.”

“Silverwing? Vildas Silverwing?”

“One and the same,” he grinned, stepping forward. His dark robe swished over the dark floor, “the Doini was worried ye’d go without him.”

“It’s been over,” she stopped to think. How old is she? 119. It’s been a few years since she had seen her brother, her twin brother, Vildas Silverwing, “Where is he?”

Antar smiled, pointing to a mirror like image to his right, “He’s on his way. He wouldn’t leave his wonderful sister. He never stopped talking about her and he never stopped watching after her.” The image was of a handsome man, his face seemed so much like her own, Antar commented.

Kali stared at the image; studying it, almost admiring the elven man fiddling with potions and powders, smoke streams going up from a flask after a drop of a blue potion was added. Smiling, “He always wanted to learn magic. I guess he did.”

The image smiled, speaking softly, “I know yer watching, Beloved of my blood. I miss ye, Kali Lia.”

“I miss ye too, Vildas Nie.” Then total darkness swept around her. She could see Antar standing in front of her; he must’ve walked towards her while she was watching her brother.

“Sontia Kali, in two months time, you and yer brother will be united with the family ye both lost,” he said softly. He put a hand on her shoulder, “I can only prolong yer death for half that time. I’m sorry.”

His hand was hot, uneasily rested on her shoulder but it was comforting. She had thought that being a dark elf made your skin cold like ice but even through her dress cloth, the warmth was almost unbearable. “Thankye, Dark one,” she said as she pulled away, becoming cold, regretting her movement.

“Sleep now. Wake soon to tell them all,” Antar kissed her cheek, his lips burned against her skin. Before he faded he softly whispered, “Dona de larvioy.”

When the stones sing, she thought then complete, unending blackness.

Part 11

“Dagnaget!” The wizard shouted, “Dire! I need more magroot. DIRE?!”

A half troll, half gnome creature grunted and scurried off, mumbling to itself.

“He’ll take a minute, guess I should go over the spell,” he looked at the huge book on the stand beside him, putting a finger under each line, “OK. Let’s see. Toad’s skin, lizard tail, newt’s spit, bear claw, dragon scale, vampire fang, frog tongue…”

Dire walked back in holding his nose with one hand and a bad in the other out stretched from his body. “Mugger nowt,” he said with a grunt.

“Magroot not mugga nowt, fool. I should find a spell to give you intelligence,” the robed man snatched the bag away, looked inside, then dumped the contents into the small pot in front of him, softly saying:

Tonight I pray

Tonight I say

This potion is for one

To right what’s been done

The one who drinks

The one who swallows

Will tell no tale

Of a false activity

The boiling brew in the pot began to glow immensely. The wizard laughed evilly then slowly stopped when his brew began to turn red, he quickly looked at his book, at the top of the page that had the spell, the title stood out: To call a cheating lover to justice potion.

Dire chuckled, “Ou schoo up.”

“Oh be quiet,” he said shooting a bolt of lightning at his assistant, who squealed and ran off.

“Well that’s the way to treat good assistants, eh, Tarnas?” Michael grinned, leaning against the frame of the front door.

Without looking up, the wizard chuckled and poured the mixed up potion into a bottle, “Well if it isn’t Mister Michael Dean Kalen, the warrior. HA! How’ve you been ol’friend?” Tarnas set the potion on a high shelf then walked to Michael, embracing him.

“You ol’foogity,” Michael chuckled and returned the embrace, “I’m well and you, Tarnas? It’s been awhile since I last been here or seen you.”

Tarnas shrugged, “Cut down on traveling, as you can see it’s made me fat.”

“You’re a toothpick! An good ol’gray haired wizard,” Michael grinned again.

“Yeah, yeah. So, how’s David? And Lovely Kali? And her daughter, what’s her name?”

“Jynine Nadia,” Michael sighed.

Tarnas looked up at the warrior who looked as if to cry, “What is it? What’s wrong?”

Michael passed Tarnas, sighing, making his way to a chair across from a paper and book filled desk, “It’s Kali. She’s sick, and I don’t mean cough sick but dieing sick.”

Tarnas looked bewildern, “Do ye know ‘ow long she’s been dis way?”

“Past 2 years now, but shows no signs till today,” Michael rubbed his chin, looking at all the books, “when she like passed out.”

“She’s alive still right?” Tarnas asked hurrying towards a cupboard, “How long did it take ye to get here?”

“She was fine when I left, sleeping. And it took me I say no more than 2 hours, plus an hour to actually find your house.”

The wizard scratched behind his ear, “Hmm… Where’s my medication satchel? Dire?!”

Dire wobbled in with a piece of meat hanging from his mouth, “Nogo stee?”

“Where’s my traveling equipment?”

Dire shrugged, slurping the piece of dangling meat into his mouth.

Tarnas made an annoyed sound deep in his throat, “Fool! Help me find it!”

Michael leans forwards, picked up a book and opened it, “Hey, Dire, want to know something,” he paused turning a page, “there’s only two people in the world who can make you a meat cream pie. You know who?”

“Ooo?” Dire grunted happily.

“Kali can. Remember her? Well if you do, she’s sick and needs the ol’frog Tarnas’ help. Se what you need to do is find the equipment,” turned another page, “and do it now.”

Dire made a low grunt of approval and hurried towards the door to the storage room.

“Now, Tarnas Dinti, sit down and find a good, meaningful spell.”

“You my caregiver now?” the wizard chuckled and sat into the long backed chair across from Michael.

Michael looked from the book, slightly annoyed, “My soon-to-be-wife is in some sort of sleep state. I am trying to be calm. You need to find something to help her. Be it a potion or powder, I don’t care!” He set the book upon a small round table next to him. “Just get ready to leave soon,” he said getting up and starting towards the door.

“There’s more to this then her dieing, isn’t there?”

Michael shrugged, not looking at the wizard, “Maybe, maybe not.”

Part 12

Jynine giggled as Qotan boosted her up onto his shoulder, “Qotan, how do you know my mommy? I know you both are friends and have been since before I was born, but how did you meet?”

Qotan smiled up at the eight year old child, “Well, Dear, mommy and I became friends when she lived in a place called Vale di Nosi, or in English Valley of the People. She and I went to classes together and we lived not far from each other, though I lived in the trees…”

“In the trees?!” Jynine exclaimed.

Qotan chuckled and nodded, “Aye. In beautiful, tall trees, where the leaves never turned color or fell from where they are. There weren’t winters with snow and everyday was bright, beautiful and sunny.”

Jynine smiled, taking a deep breath, “I want to see this place, Vale di Nosi. Can I? With you one day?” She looked down at him, hopefully.

“Aye, Dearest to my heart. I’ll take you with me sometime when I go. If your uncles would allow it,” he said while he kneeled to the ground to let her jump off his shoulder.

She twirled around on her tipsy toes, giggling, arms stretched out from her body. Around and around and around she went. Looking to the sky, she stopped suddenly, retaking balance, “Woodman?”

Having been watching her happily swirl around, made him dizzy and not notice she had stopped, “Hmm? Yes, Dearest?”

Jynine made her way to Qotan, who was now sitting on the ground, “Is mommy going to die?”

Qotan just sat there, wondering what to say, “Well, um, your mommy is very sick and there is a chance she could die. But,” he took the little girl into his lap, “ but if she does die, I promise you I will never leave your side unless I need to do something important. Alright?”

Jynine nodded, sniffling.

“Now, you promise me something,” putting a hand under her chin, looking her straight in the eyes, “promise me we’ll always be together when and if your mommy dies. Promise we’ll take care of each other.”

“I promise,” Jynine wrapped her tiny arms around the ranger’s neck, which in turn held her in the embrace; both had their eyes shut tight.

Qotan let go of Jynine, pulling away from her. He could feel eyes on him, watching them, “Jynine. Maybe we should go see your Uncle Darikk about some food, OK?”

Jynine nodded and with Qotan’s help, she wiped her eyes and nose with a piece of cloth, which appeared from one of the ranger’s pockets.

They both stood up, walking hand in hand, they started towards the tavern. Jynine was smiling, looking around at all the people, as they walked through the door. Outside the sun was going down and inside the fire in the fireplace was being lit along with all the candles on the walls. Through the window the purple sky dimmed slowly to a dark blue.

Both the Dari and Scia moons were bright that night; some would say that a night of two shining moons would mean a month of health and happiness to come. Most recognize a night like this as a night the dark elf clans did their evil spells, which is partially true.

Qotan didn’t see Kali nor Jynine’s uncles anywhere, so still holding his daughter’s hand he led her towards the stairs.

“Hey Ranger!” A familiar voice shouted from behind him.

Qotan turned around to find a cloaked figure standing just a few feet away. The cloak was an old grayish color, all torn and ragged with a symbol just below the right shoulder. He told Jynine to wait at the bottom of the stairs, hurried to the stranger and bustled them both up the steps to the second floor.

At the top the hood of the cloak went down over short red hair, “Ranger Qotan.”

Qotan turned to face the figure, a woman, speaking softly, “Mistress Janar.” He bowed slightly, “S’been a long time since our last encounter.”

“Yes,” she looked at Jynine who was hiding behind Qotan, “It’s been a long while. Who’s the child?”

Qotan glanced down at Jynine. “Um,” he cleared his throat, “this is, Milady, Jynine Nadia Kalen, Kali Kalen’s daughter. Jynine, dear, this is Mistress Janar Forden.”

Jynine stepped out from behind Qotan and curtsied, not taking her eyes off the woman, “Greetings and welcome, Milady Forden.”

“Hmm, yeah, nice,” Janar said in a toneless voice as she watched the child cower back behind Qotan, “and she’s Lady Kali’s daughter? Ha, didn’t notice.”

“Don’t start, Janar. I know you didn’t come here to spar with anyone or me. So then why are you here?” Placing a hand lightly on Jynine’s head, Qotan glared at Janar. I despise changelings, he thought to himself as Mistress Forden’s face changed slightly, and they think they can do anything they want.

“Actually, I was sent here,” she said, beginning to pull her riding gloves off, “by Queen Kani. She needs to talk with kali or one of her brothers.” She put her gloves into one of her side pouches and looked around, “Where are they anyways?”

Qotan shrugged and picked Jynine into his arms, “We were looking for them ourselves. So if you’ll excuse us.” Qotan turned to walk down the hallway with Jynine still in his arms.

“You run a lot, Ranger. You can’t run forever though,” Janar said before heading back down the stairs.

“Woodman?” Jynine’s voice half whispered into his ear, “What was that funny symbol on her cloak?”

“She’s a member of a group of bad people. They kill other people for money,” he said in a stone cold voice, “she’s an assassin.”

Jynine wrapped her arms tighter around Qotan’s neck, “She won’t kill me or mommy will she?”

Qotan held his child close, remembering that just a few years before the rule of Queen Kani he was the one that was to kill kali, but couldn’t. “No dearest, she won’t touch either of you,” he held back tears and continued on to Kali’s room at the end of the hall.

Part 13

“Kali?” it was David, Kali thought. She had been sleeping most of the day, she remember seeing Antar and Vildas, now she had to wake up. “Kali, wake up, please?” David sounded worried.

She stirred, opening her eyes slightly to see David above her, feeling a cool cloth on her forehead, smiling softly up at him, “Love, Brother.”

David smiling, “Shh… Hush, Beloved sister.”

She then felt a hand lightly brush her arm; she looked over and saw a blurry vision of Qotan and Jynine beside the bed. Smiling more, “Jynine, Qotan.”

“Shh… You are weak. Save yer strength,” Darikk’s voice came from somewhere else in the room.

She nodded and closed her eyes slowly. She was not tired, but she did feel weak. They must have given me something to numb my senses or something, she thought, unless they fed me my soup.

She heard the door open and close. There was a quiet scuffle here and there, beside the bed. She heard a new voice. Tarnas is here, she thought, with whom? She then felt a kiss on her cheek and a breath in her ear, “I love you.” It was Michael, she smiled and thought to herself, he must’ve gotten Tarnas and brought him here.

Tarnas’s hand touched her forehead, “She just looks pale as a ghost. Has she been given anything?”

“No. Not that I know of. She ate her soup as usual,” David said, “it could’ve been the soup but I doubt it.” He was right, she thought, I always put some extra sleeping powder into it.

“She always put a little bit of a powder into her soup,” Qotan commented as if reading her mind.

“Kali? Open your eyes, dear,” Tarnas said softly taking his hand from her forehead.

She opened her eyes, smiling up at the wizard. “Hey, Tarnas,” she mumbled, “How you doing? And Dire?”

He smiled, “Dire is downstairs waiting for ye to make’im a meat cream pie. I on the other hand am just worried my favorite elven beauty is very sick and I might not be able to help.” He looked in her eyes, studying her pupils closely then nodded to everyone, “She must’ve just had a bit much of’er soup. Let’er rest it off.”

“Antar…” she voiced before the effects of her soup kicked in fully.

Looking at Kali, puzzled, Darikk repeated the name, “Antar.” He found a seat in a corner and looked to the floor, “Dark elf Antar Ravencall,” he mumbled.

“Who is that, Darikk?” Qotan questioned.

Darikk looked to Qotan, “It’s Kali’s brother assistant.”

Qotan looked from Michael to David, “Um, Darikk, I don’t get it. Neither David nor Michael are full elves or even practice magic.”

“He doesn’t mean David or Michael,” Tarnas stated as he continued to check Kali over. “She has a twin brother. Doini of the Dark Elf clan Meida, Vildas Silverwing.”

“She never told David and I about a twin brother,” Michael said, shocked.

“She isn’t too proud about what he has become. She also doesn’t keep too close of contact with him,” Darikk spoke softly, looking at Kali sadly.

Jynine looked around, “You talking about Uncle Vildasy?” She sank back when everyone’s eyes were on her, “Mommy brought me to see him. He isn’t a bad guy, is he?” She looked up at Michael who was standing beside her.

Michael shrugged, “I’ve never met him.” He looked to David, who shrugged as well and looked back to Kali.

Jynine yawned, “I like him anyways.”

Qotan took Jynine up into his arms, “I think it’s time for this little girl to go to bed. Everyone,” he nodded towards everyone, looked longingly towards Kali then walked out with the 8 year olds arms and legs wrapped around his body.

Tarnas looked at the rest of the people in the room, “Now the rest of you, out. Get out.”

David and Michael both kissed Kali’s forehead and walked out. “Tis good to see you, Ol’ Friend,” David said before disappears through the door after Michael.

Darikk stood up, walked to the bed and looked at Kali, “Keep it up, Coz, things will be better soon.” He disappeared silently through the door before Tarnas could say anything.

With a sigh, Tarnas sat into the armed chair beside the bed, “Ye boil a hard bargain, Lil Miss.”

Kali smiled, “So you forgot about me and my sleeping powder, huh?”

Tarnas chuckled, “Actually no. I just wanted to see if yer family knew about it. Which brings me to ask, why didn’t ye tell David, Michael or Qotan about yer twin?”

Kali sat up, leaning against the headboard, “Um, well, I was scared. Scared of what they’d ask. I mean my twin brother is a dark elf, much less a leader of one of the clans.”

“Michael loves ye, David loves ye, heck half the people that know ye care about ye. Moreover, if they were to disown ye, I would take ye into my home. Yer no different than me or yer family.”

Kali smiled softly, “You were like my father when Stephen died in the war.”

“Stephen said the same thing when I trained him in the arts of magic. Poor lad died protecting ye, just so ye could grow up and have a good life.”

Kali’s smile faded, “I never knew what happened to Teria, do you?”

Tarnas nodded sadly, “She was trying to hide ye in the woods, ye were sleeping then, and she was shot in the back with an arrow. I found ye sleeping when I saw that in my seeing water she had died.”

“That’s why I found myself in yer cottage,” she said softly.

“Kali, dear. Ye need rest. I’ll be here, watching ye. Sleep,” he said, waving his hand slowly in the air.

Kali’s eyelids became heavy. She slid back down into the bed and fell asleep.

Tarnas set magic wards with a word around the room then propped his feet up onto the nightstand, “Though, Kali, I don’t owe you those scrolls.” He chuckled as he leaned back, yawning.

“She’s not ready to know what’s going to happen,” Qotan said softly to someone in the shadows of Jynine’s room.

“Your daughter, Qotan, is gifted like her mother, she needs to know,” a low, beast-like voice said from the shadows.

“That’s why she doesn’t need to know. When she’s old enough I’ll explain to her everything,” Qotan’s voice was low and full of fear.

“You’ve got to also tell her who you are.”

“Aye,” Qotan nodded and walked from the shadow. He pulled a chair toward Jynine’s bed and sat down slowly, sighing, “Dearest to my heart.”

Part 14

“Chadio mi novio,” Vildas said as he tossed and turned in his sleep.

“Sir Vildas, wake up. You’re having a nightmare again,” Antar sighed, he’d been up watching Vildas most the night. He placed a hand on the pale elf’s shoulder.

“Huh? Oh. Nightmares again?” Vildas sat up, wiping his forehead of swear, then looked at Antar.

“Yes, sir. Would you like to explain this one?”

“My sister and I were running through the woods,” he paused, thinking, “she was crying. I tried to comfort her but couldn’t. She kept pushing me away like I was an… umm… a hunter of some sort. She was afraid of me.”

“Vildas, maybe you seen the past or the future, perhaps?” Antar opened his hand and a steaming cup of tea appeared. He held it out to the weary bed occupant.

Vildas reached for the glass and a vision of Kali crying appeared behind Antar, “Sister, Why are you crying?”

Antar looked behind himself, trying to see what Vildas sees in the darkness, “I don’t see anything, Vildas. Kali isn’t there.”

The image faded. Putting down the cup, Vildas covered his face and groaned a sob, “Oh, Kali.”

“Sir?” Antar put a hand on the crying elf’s arm. He heard a muffle from him but not exactly knowing what was said, he pulled away from Vildas and sat back, thinking. “For the past month he’s been going on and on about Kali. But why?”

Antar sighed and appeared in his chambers, “Lemme think. Kali isn’t getting worse by much, though she isn’t getting better. Why is Vildas seeing her when she really isn’t there?”

He made his way to his desk and opened the top drawer. The clink of many orbs echoed throughout the room. He moved a few around before taking out a silver green orb that was glowing softly.

“Gandir. Tell me something.”

The orb blinked and stopped glowing then a voice was heard as the orb pulsed at every work, “Anything, Master.”

“Tell me the illness that Kali and Vildas have.”

“Well, milord, if I’m right, it’s called the ‘blind cure.’ Though it cures nothing and slowly kills those who have it, you can’t just contract it in anyway. It’s like a family's curse. Never goes away and happens only every few generations.”

“So, if you aren’t lying to me. Kali and Vildas has an illness that was, I guess you could say, donated from family.”

“Yes,” the orb blinked.

Antar clutched the orb briefly then placed it in the air on an invisible shelf where it stayed, floating in the air.

Gandir bobbed and blinked, “Master? Is everything alright?”

“Not really, Gandir,” Antar sighed and walked to the fireplace. As he sat down into a long back chair, he said softly, “Vildas is seeing visions of Kali and from what I’m getting from my father, Kali seems to be having nightmares and is having visions of Stephen and Teria.”

“You never said anything ‘bout your father before. Who is he?” the orb blinked as it floated towards Antar.

Antar stared into the fire, “Tarnas the Hermit. Well that’s what I always called him. Tarnas Ravencall, that’s who.”

“That old man that always helps the wood elves?”

Antar nodded, “Stupid fool. There’s one man that would go against the dark elves and my father is that man.”

“We’ve been friends for a long time now. Can you release me now?” Gandir floated into Antar’s face.

“No. If I let a wild mage from his own trap, goddess knows what could happen!”

“Alright. So my spell screwed up! Doesn’t mean I’ll do it again. Heck, I could probably help Kali and Vildas.” Gandir’s voice was cynical and shrewd.

“You aren’t getting out of there, you’d make everything crazy!” Antar glared at the orb, “Get back in the draw with the others.”

“Fine. But I could help,” the orb softly glowed as it levitated to the desk, in the drawer, setting down lightly with the other orbs and with what magic he has, pulls the drawer closed.

Vildas was glad Antar had left when he did. He was trying to get him out of his chamber since he passed out. He wiped his face and tried to wake up, trying to forget his nightmare.

Finally awake enough to walk, he got up and walked to the long mirror on the opposite wall, “Visions I see. Of her I see. My blood show me, my sister to me,” speaking softly as the mirror rippled like water and puzzled together an image of a sleeping woman. “Kali,” he murmured to himself.

He sat down in a plush long backed chair, as he has done many a night before, to watch over his beloved sister.

“Meow,” a cat purred at him from alongside the chair. A black cat with light blue eyes jumped onto the arm of the chair, purring loudly, “Meow.”

“Ah. Hello, Sirire,” Vildas said softly as he patted his lap. The cat climbed into him lap and laid down, “Such a beautiful creature you are, my lovely Sirire.” He looked back to the mirror and smiled, petting Sirire.

“Vildassss, ye are troubled. Tell me,” Sirire purred, looking from the mirror to Vildas, “Watching’er ‘gain.”

“Sirire, you know what’s troubling me. My sister is dieing, as well as I,” he closed his eyes, putting his head back into a crook of the back of the chair.

“Ye know that it’s incurable. Why fight it, M’love?”

“I’ve fought it for a long time for her. She was always the stronger of us two. I’m not trying to fight much anymore,” he looked again to the mirror, “I feel her heart beat. I‘ve got her blood in my veins. I know every single thought and dream of hers. I am always with her. Just awhile more and I won’t have to fight anymore. I’m just waiting for her.”

Sirire took a deep breath, closed her eyes and purred more as Vildas kept petting her. She peeked at the mirror, the woman was facing them, not smiling but her eyes were moving rapidly under her eyelids. She’s dreaming, Sirire thought, about what to wake Vildas? She looked to Vildas and sighed, “asleep.”

Part 15

David, Michael and Darikk stayed up all night doing nothing but drinking and staring at the fire.

By morning watch, all three were reclined in their chairs sleeping. The yellow sunlight peeked though the window, flooding the main room with bright blinding light.

David woke up as Jisa Te was taking the sheet glass from his hand. She smiled at him and cleaned the table the three had cluttered with empty bottles & glasses. “What time is it?” he yawned.

“Just a bit after morning watch, Sonti,” Jisa softy spoke while covering Michael with a blanket.

“Kali up yet?”

She shook her head, “Nome, she isn’t. Sonti, Tarnas has watched over’er all night, but when I checked’im, he was asleep like you three.”

David got up, stretching with a yawn, “Is Qotan still here?”

She nodded and to his relief she said he watched Jynine sleep all night though hadn’t slept himself.

David yawned again, “Can you see if there’s any food in this basted place?”

Jisa giggles, “Yeah, Sonti. There’s left over boar and Donnie’s potato soup from last night. Would ye like some?”

David nodded, “Aye, that’d be great.” He stretched, cushy the chair he was slouched in, then walked to the bar and say down while Jisa hurried though the kitchen door.

Just as he put his head on the bar top, Jisa came out hands full with two plated of food. She set them down in front of David, who was drooling at the site, not only the food but at Jisa.

Giggling, she brushed her dress off then poured David a glass of green water, which is actually dwarfish wine with ivy roots, it helps woke people up and take headaches away, though that part depends on the person. Smiling, setting the glass on the bar top, “Here ye are, Sonti, David. Eat up, don’t let me stop ye.”

“Thank ye, Sontia Jisa Te,” David smiled. She’s beautiful, he thought, its like when I last was here, she was young. She’s what 39 in human years? He eyed her quickly then continued eating.

Jisa blushed, seeming he was looking at her that. She way embarrassed by how she looked in her faded blue dress and her hair up in a ponytail. When David looked at her. “Is everything to yer likings, Sonti?”

“Great, just great,” David looked up from the bowl of soup, right into Jisa’s color changing eyes, “Aren’t you hungry?”

“Yesh, but I’ve word to do before everyone gets up and…”

“Just sit,” David commanded, painting to a chair next to him while pushing the rest of the bowl of soup towards the nymph.

She smiled softly, taking the bowl and sitting down next to David, her heart beating like a scared animal when its pray, “Thank ye.”

As she put a spoonful of soup to her lips, David watched contently with his hand propping his head up, elbow on the bar top. Didn’t knew a nymph of her kind could be so beautiful, or maybe she’s got some kind of secret spell or potion, he grinned to himself, she’s just changed a lot from when I was last here.

Jisa could feel his eyes on her but didn’t want him to know she knew. She tried to remember when he last seen her. About five years, Yes, five. He, Michael and Kali were fighting about how much the tavern changed from peaceful to a danger tone of assassins and battle angry fighter, followers of the gods and warlord of all kind…

“I don’t care!” Kali said, throwing her hands in the air, “I’m the keeper of the tavern now, have been for almost 10 years. I don’t tell who’s welcome and who isn’t!”

“Kali, think of what cloud happen to the tavern if you keep letting all these blood thirsty criminals in here,” David said calmly from where he sat.

“You should talk thief!” Kali blurted out.

Michael stood up and got between David and Kali, “I really don’t know why you both are fighting. You both gotta remember, I am a warrior, thirsty for battle, specially after the death of Stephen and Teria.”

“But you’re our brother, Love. There’s no reason to push you out of your home. Though with the way David is talking, it seems you’d be pushed out alone with the rest,” Kali spoke coarsely as she turned her back on her brother. She looked up at the painting on the wall of Stephen, Teria, Darikk and herself.

“I didn’t say I wanted to push my brother out!” David stood up and started towards Kali but was stopped by Michael. He was tempted to just push his brother out of the way but he looked at Kali and sighed, “Listen. I know you are just protecting what you’ve left of them but,” he looked at the painting briefly then back to Kali, “if you don’t take action on the fighting now, everything will burn in Qartus!”

“I’m trying my best. With Darikk away somewhere, Michael going on his lady saving quests and you getting down right drunk, I’ve no one to help me but Jisa Te.”

David sighed, “I’m sorry.”

“No! You aren’t. This is just a curse to you like you said yesterday in front of Lord Gonler. If it’s a curse then LEAVE!” She turned around to look David in the eyes with tears streaming down her cheeks.

Jisa sat just outside the door the whole time that night. She looked up and noticed she had tears rolling down her cheeks. She had stopped eating and David was still looking at her, worried like now.

“Jisa? Are you alright?” David asked in a worried voice.

Nodding, Jisa wiped her eyes, “Yesh, Sonti. I’m fine. Just remembering something.” She felt his hand on her shoulder. She closed her eyes, “his hand, to feel his hand on my shoulder is wonderful,” she thought. She then, without warning, got up, wrapped her arms around David’s neck and kissed him.

Loving of the sudden kiss, though surprised, David kissed back, put his arms around her waist and pulled her close.

Part 16

Children’s voices and laughter mixed together with music to fill the air. Joyous feelings were all around making this an enlightening occasion. The occasion, Kali and Michael’s wedding, was spoken about for weeks on end, and to them it is a dream come true.

“Oh, Michael,” Kali said quietly, coming up from behind Michael, “Its so good that I’m yours truly now.”

Michael turned around, smiling, “M’love, it’s a dream come true for me.” He took her into his arms, kissing her head lightly, and smiled as a warm feeling rushed through his body.

“Hey, Lovebirds.”

The couple broke their embrace and looked towards the voice to see Jisa Te with her arm wrapped around David’s. They’d been married a few weeks before.

“David, Jisa,” Kali smiled then found herself in Jisa’s embrace, taking her away form Michael and David. She looked back at Michael, shrugged then giggled and looked at Jisa.

“So, Michael. What’s it like? I mean being married finally,” David said, looking after the ladies.

“S’nice but I wish Darikk were here. There was so much that he wanted to give but I guess it just wasn’t to be,” Michael sighed then smiled, “But, he watches us day after day along with Stephen and Teria.”

“Aye. I would’ve thought he would have lived to this day, but that was two months ago,” David said, putting his hand on Michael’s shoulder.

“Aye,” Michael said as Jynine walked up. He took her into his arms, smiling at the young girl in her dress, “You look very pretty.”

“Thank you. So now do I call you daddy?” Jynine giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck.

David chuckled and lightly ran his hand over the child’s long golden hair, “Dearest, I would think that it’d seem weird to you if you called him that, don’t you?”

Jynine shook her head to the surprise of Michael and David, “Nome, Unky David. I know you aren’t mommy’s real brothers so that’s why I asked.”

“Sure, Babe. You can call me Dad or Michael, don’t matter to me.”

Jynine smiles and hugged Michael’s neck again, “I love you, Daddy.”

“I love you too, Angel,” Michael hugged her back then set her back down on the floor and watched her run off.

“OK. Let me get this straight,” Qotan chuckled, walking up to them, “Jynine is now calling you Dad and your married too the woman of most guys’ dreams.”

Michael grinned, “Well, you forgot one part.”

“What’s that?”

“I’m the luckiest guy in the world,” Michael chuckled.

“Ah. Well, I guess I would’ve forgot that on purpose considering you’d probably take my dream woman away anyways,” Qotan said softly, “But you will treat her well, so no reason to slit your throat.”

David laughed, “You two are too good. Both don’t trust many, though one’s a ranger and the other a fighter. Get over it, no matter if your married to Kali or not, she loves you both.”

Qotan and Michael grinned at each other, turned to David and just as a waitress passed, took a cup each and proceeded to pour liquor over the older brother’s head. Laughing, they helped David to the bar to get cleaned up.

Note from Author: As was mentioned Darikk is dead. He died from unknown causes about two months, as stated, before the wedding. Kali though isn’t any better but she is what her kind calls a “mondan de darq”, or a person with two deaths. Meaning she has a choice, when and if she dies, to go on living or completely die. She hasn’t’ come to this decision yet nor does she know she has it to make. Her twin, Vildas, on the other hand is near by and has no choice at all. He knows his sister is special and knows she can go on for a very long time. He is learning to keep it so she’ll live till another like her comes along. All in all this is only the end of the one cruse and the beginning of another.

He watches the tavern swarm with people because of the wedding. Though he had gotten an invitation, he couldn’t bring himself to join in on the fun. He was scared, unknown in this area, and probably forgotten by the mistress, his young friend, Kali.

“If I was forgotten why did I get an invitation?” he said to himself softly, his low husky voice barely heard, “Sonti Qotan even brought me the invitation, which was weird nonetheless. If she does remember me, I’ll be surprised.”

The short dwarf stood up with a grunt and started towards the cabin-like tavern. Looking about him, feeling the aura around the place.

As he made his way through the door, he found himself booted to a tabletop with the help of a rather bulky young man. He ask the man if he’d know where Kali Kalen was and got the answer that she’d be at the bar with Jisa Te.

“Jisa Te? Who’s that?” he thought as he jumped off the table and wobbled towards the direction of the bar. To his pleasure and surprise, there was Kali; a little different from when he’d last seen her, but still just as beautiful.

He made his way to her chair, where the young man again boosted him. He noticed Kali hadn’t seen him so he got ready to jump off but found himself in a strong hug.

“DURK!” Kali squealed as she hugged the dwarf before he had the chance to jump off the stool beside her, “It’s so good to see you.”

He smiled and hugged back, “Aye, Sontia Kali, always nice to be in your shining light.”

“When did you get here? I didn’t see Kilhar land outside.”

“I walked from Marner City. Gave Kilhar directions to get here by moon’s first shine tonight. He’s one faithful griffin.”

Kali nodded, smiling still, “I’m so glad you could come. And no I didn’t nor ever will forget you, silly Durk.”

“I know, sweets. Your parents and I wouldn’t’ve been good friend if it weren’t for you.”

“Aye. I know.” With that she hugged the dwarf again.

Part 17

“Alright, we’ll see you soon,” Kali said as she closed the door, “finally peace. I thought that party would never end.”

“Don’t be so confident, Sister,” David said as he held up a glass to her as she reached the chairs circling the fireplace, “because the real party is about to begin.”

Kali grinned, took the cup and found a seat on Michael’s lap, “Ya hear that, Love. Our big brother says the party is just beginning.”

Michael chuckled and put an arm around Kali’s waist. “Well,” he said holding up his glass, “to us as a family, may we be closer than ever before and may nothing but death tear us apart.”

Durk, Jisa Te and Qotan quietly all lifted their drinking glasses and approved in their own way.

Durk cleared his throat and stood up, “Milady Kalen. I was told by your parents to give you something when I thought you were ready. I see now I can’t wait any longer.” Pausing he reached for a small dark blue velvet pouch that was attached to his belt. He weighed it in his hand then held it out to Kali, “Now, you’re grown up, married and with a child. You’ll be needing this.”

Kali took the bag and noticed it was light as a feather. After handing Michael her glass, she preceded to untie the pouch slowly. Upon opening it a small color changing light came from the pouch. She gasped, putting a hand over her mouth, “Teriode.”

“What is it?” David and Michael asked simultaneously.

Kali looked to Durk, “They wanted you to give me the ring.” She brought out a total black ring. With weird lettering encircling it and changing colors, it was enchanting in many ways.

“Kali, Child, your parents brought two houses together to peace, for a time. Each of them had a ring from each of their parents,” Durk said looking at the ring, “in which they melded together to form this ring for you.”

“But… Why?”

Durk sighed and looked Kali in the eyes, “You’re what the ancients call mondan de darq. You’ve got a very strong power that is ready to come out and the ring can tame that power.”

“What about Vildas? Doesn’t he have this power?”

“No. He doesn’t have the power you possess. Though he’s your twin and everything, he doesn’t have any power close to what was perceived you’d have.”

Michael looked at the ring, then to Durk, then to Kali, “Um… Confused warrior here. Little translation?”

Kali giggled at Michael and put the ring on her right forefinger, “Well, M’love, what Durk is saying is that I’ve a special power that my parents knew I’d have. Because the houses Derian and Kalen aren’t too good of friends, they had to contend against each other with a magical power, hence the rings Durk mentioned.”

“Well, from what I remember, Stephen told me that they were told that should their power combine, one child, me I suppose, would have the power to do what he or she wanted. Make a rose grow from a rock, like Teria told me when I was young.

“Anyways, as Durk said, they melded the rings together and as I think they made it so instead of me taming the powers myself the ring would do it for me till I got a handle on it.” She paused and thought back to the night Stephen, Michael, David, and Darikk were fighting over why Michael and David had to leave.

David set his cup down and said as if reading Kali’s mind, “So that’s why they wanted us to leave.”

Durk cleared his throat; “I was told when Teria and Stephen died that they were protecting her from the Derian house. They wanted revenge against the Kalen’s.”

“Both my families want me to get back at one another? I know nothing of them or their power, much less their influence,” Kali felt enraged about this and was going to figure out a way to end it.

Qotan, who just watched from his chair, sighed and stood up, “I’m ready to speak. There’s something K…Kali can do to <hiccup> to stop this war. She…she can take their majik powers away from them. With the ring, she can do anything. I was… <hiccup> told this because when I was here a few years ago, and damn were she pretty, I was here to kill kali and replace her with a changeling named Mistresssss Janar Forden.”

Jisa got to Qotan’s side as he began to break down and cry, mumbling something about the Kalen house hiring him.

“That’s how Stephen knew,” Michael said softly.

Durk looked around, “The ranger lad is right, Kali. The only way to end this war between the houses is to just take their powers away.”

Kali shook her head, “I couldn’t do that. I can’t take the only thing they know. They can’t live without the magic they possess.” She stood up and walked to the fireplace. She knew she had to do something. Thought the question was, what? She now worried about what could happen to her daughter, or even her family. With David and Michael here she thought she’d feel safe, but she wasn’t. She looked to the ring then to the ring the bond Michael and David to her.

She turned to look at the five people who she loved dearly. She looked straight into each of their eyes and saw something in common deep within their eyes. They were scared and she wasn’t.

She had figured it out. Divide the ring, was what went through her mind in Stephen’s voice, “Divide the black ring into five rings of power. One for each.”

Stephen, Teria, and Darikk appeared from the darkness behind the group in front of Kali. Stephen stepped forward, “You’ve five people right here in front of you who can be trusted to help you.”

Kali looked around from David, a human with elf blood in his veins, thief by trade, then to Michael, half-elf, her husband and a warrior, to the dwarf, Durk, he’d taken care of her a lot when her parents were alive and was very fluent in magic, then her eyes came upon Jisa Te and Qotan. Jisa was a nymph, and wanted to be a bar, while Qotan was an elven ranger, though looked more human.

Stephen made eye contact with Kali, “Divide the ring, Sweet Child. Divide it and the power will not be only in you but these five here,” he said as he pointed around to everyone. He then stepped back with Teria and Darikk and faded.

Part 18

“You want to what?!” Durk exclaimed.

Kali sat back in her chair, “I’m going to divide the ring.” She took the black ring off and set it on the arm of her chair, “each of you will get one.”

Qotan began to protest but grew quiet when Jisa looked at him sternly then looked to Kali, “m’lady, are ye sure ‘bout this?”

Kali nodded, “Never been this sure in a long time. Just trust me.”

Michael stood up and walked to Kali’s chair, kneeling in front of it as he’s done many times, “I’ll follow you on this but one question, Why us?”

Kali smiles, “Why anyone else? Why not Lord Kere or Lady Murkly? It’s because I trust you. I know that if I can give each of you a power, you can use it and it will protect you.” She smiled at Michael then looked to David, who stayed silent, “Brother, are you alright?”

David nodded and looked around, “Tis late, s’been a long day. Let’s sleep.” He got out of his chair, walked to Qotan, and put a helping arm around the ranger’s waist, “C’mon, drunk man.” He bid goodnight to everyone and started towards the stairs, half dragging Qotan with Jisa right behind them.

“Milady Kalen, Your parents would disapprove of this, but,” Durk put his hand to his chin, “I’ll do what I can to help.”

“Thankye, Durk. You are and always will be a great friend.”

“Your parents would be proud of you, Kali. Almost as proud as I am of you,” Durk smiled, “I’ll retire to my room now. G’night you two.” The dwarf bowed and hobbled towards and up the stairs.

Kali smiled then looked to Michael who was smiling at her as if in a drunken daze. She giggles as she watched him blink slowly. “Your so silly,” she said before leaning down and kisses him softly on the lips.

Michael kissed back, slowly putting his arms around her waist.

“Oop! I better figure out how to do this dividing thing tonight. I might be up most of the night If you want to go to bed,” Kali put the ring back on her forefinger.

“You shouldn’t stay up any later than this, Love. Remember what Antar and Vildas said,” Michael slightly scolded.

“Yes, I remember. I’m not going to do a lot tonight. I promise,” she stated, kissing his forehead lightly. “Anyways, I need Vildas and Antar’s help to do this magic thing, I don’t know slug squat about it,” she giggled.

Michael smiled, brushed his wife’s cheek and started for the stairs. Until Kali saw his heels disappear, she remained silent, watching the flames dance happily in the fireplace. Once alone, she got up and walked to the front door. Grabbing her cloak off its hook, she opened the door, stepped out, closed the door and hoped that no one heard anything.

“Greetings, Milady,” a deep voice said behind her as she felt a hand on her shoulder and her heart ready to burst out of her chest. The hand pulled away as she turned around to face the cloaked figure. She tried to look into the darkness of the hood but because of it being past high moon and none of the moons were shining brightly enough. She couldn’t see the figure’s face.

With the wind blowing, it should’ve been cold, but it was oddly warm to her. Her cloak wasn’t very thick either, so she knew who was standing before her. “Greetings, Milord Antar. You got here faster than expected. Is my brother with you?” she said looking around till she felt a presence behind her, turning around she saw another cloaked figure.

“Ye know I’d be here, Dear Sister,” Vildas said as he drew his hood over his head. Smiling, he put his arms around his sister in a loving embrace.

“Alright, enough mush. We need to talk about that ring and everything Durk knows. But now here,” Antar said quietly then softly said something else, softly under his breath, transferring them to a small cottage in the forest.

“Why don’t you ever take me to your tower?” Kali asked Vildas as she looked around. The cottage was homey with a burning fire and comfortable looking chairs around the fire where Kali found herself sitting after Antar took her cloak. It seemed small in the room they sat in but it was also magically hidden and protected hence the feeling of being small, though it also seemed mystically large in some way.

“It’s not that I don’t want to. Its just, if something were to happen… I don’t want you hurt,” Vildas answered as he sat down into a chair next to Kali. His body-looked frail yet very strong at the same time. Vildas never used his magic for anything but things needed. His hair was a silver color that had been cut no longer than an inch all about his head. His eyes were silver white around pure silver pupils, though that’s not their original color. They changed as he got older and more adapt in his arts.

Kali noticed something very weird about her twin. She just couldn’t place it. Though it didn’t matter, he was with her and that made her happy, “So, what’s first?”

Antar handed Vildas a glass then one to Kali, “First off, where is the ring?” Kali took the ring off her forefinger and handed it to him. He sat there, studying the ring, quietly turning it, twisting it, running his fingers over the engravings, and then finally he looked up. Speaking calmly he said, “This was made of two rings but in actuality it has more than that… about six. It’ll be slightly hard to split. Here blow through it, Kali. It’ll give each new ring a power and protection.”

Kali mad a very confused look then did as Antar told her to. She blew through the ring, feeling a power like trust flow from her, out her mouth and through the ring.

Antar put the ring into a small holding pouch then made it disappear, “Now while that’s being pulled apart. Tell me all Durk might know.”

Kali felt Vildas take her hand as she sighed softly, to her everything was a jumbled mess, “Well, he spoke about the two families fighting which was the cause of the war. He knows that the one ring is made of two rings. Wait he thinks it’s made of two rings.” She stopped to think, five rings, who else put a ring into the one?

“What is it, Sister?” Vildas said softly and squeezed her hand lightly. He’d seen her face go blank and her eyes seemed to look to nothing.

“Maybe she needs sleep as well as yourself. I’ll take her home while you get to bed,” with that everything in the room melted into Vildas’ bedroom and Antar had Kali in his arms, her eyes now closed.

“Alright. Take care of her,” Vildas kissed Kali’s forehead then watched Antar disappear.

“Milady, why don’t you ever weigh anything?” Antar chuckled as he set her down onto the couch before the fireplace in the tavern, putting on her finger a fake ring to replace the other then disappeared.

Part 19

“Dearest me,” Jisa said softly when she looked at Kali curled up on the couch. She made the assumption that Kali stayed up thinking and fell asleep during the process. She giggled slightly to herself, “She sure does look cute like a child still.”

Kali stirred feeling the sunlight pierce through the windows and warm her slightly. She opened her eyes sleepily to find Jisa sitting across from her, giggling. She sat up and stretched, half smiling, “I must’ve fell asleep here. My suriee. Are you the only one up?”

Jisa nodded and pointed to the stairs with her thumb, “Qotan was still passed out on Jynine’s floor. Durk is snoring up a storm in his room. I left David to dream in our room and Michael sounded like he was in a peaceful dreamland of his own.”

Kali giggled, “Wonder if he noticed I didn’t come to sleep in bed?”

Jisa giggled and shrugged, “I don’t know. Perhaps you’d like sometin' to eat?”

Shaking her head, Kali sat back into the couch, twisting the fake ring on her finger, “No. I think I’ll wait till everyone is awake to help you make breakfast.”

Jisa nodded, staying silent. She noticed a bit of a change in Kali. “Perhaps she’s just got something on her mind?” she thought to herself. She looked at Kali a bit differently now than she had when she first came to the tavern. Kali was like a mother of a sort or even a sister to her unlike back a few years ago she saw Kali as a boss. Someone who was to be obeyed and not crossed when she seemed mad, though Kali wasn’t known for her anger, it was known that when Kali was mad, she got mad.

Kali’s thoughts were all on the sixth ring. She remembered over hearing Stephen talking to Teria about it, but they just said that the ring was being made of their rings. How’d she remember this she didn’t know but she did know who the five rings came from, her parents, Teria, Darikk and Stephen.

“So you did stay down here?” Michael’s voice chuckled from the stairs.

“No, she just woke up before you,” Jisa teased.

Kali looked up to Michael, smiling, “Nah, I fell asleep here thinking.”

“Thought so,” Michael chuckled again, finding a seat beside his wife, putting an arm around her. “And did you sleep well?”

“As well as anyone sleeping on hard couches,” Kali said as she put her head on Michael’s shoulder. Suddenly she had a flashback of the ring with her name on it. Stephen never gave her that ring nor did she see it anytime after that night. Could her ring be the sixth? She had so many things on her mind it was confusing her. She groaned, closing her eyes, “I think I’m going to take a vacation after this whole ring thing is over and done with.”

Michael squeezed her shoulders and kisses her head, “You and I both, Lovely.” He looked at Jisa, worriedly, and then looked down at Kali’s hands, directly at the ring Durk gave her last night. It was already a nuisance in their lives, now he wondered if it’d get better or worse when it was split.

“Well, at least there’s someone up,” Tarnas’ voice said through the back door, which Jisa opened to let the morning air in. “Hope ye don’t mind me walking in but I was looking for a couple of people.”

Kali jumped up, ran to Tarnas and wrapped her arms around his neck. “It’s so good to see you,” she said then whispered, “We need to talk alone. Gotta question.”

Tarnas gently wrapped his arms around Kali’s waist and hugged her, “Tis a good thing I actually showed up. Didn’t think I’d get a good welcome.” He chuckled and let go of Kali, letting her lead him to the circle of chairs where Michael and Jisa Te were still seated. He bowed to Jisa and nodded to Michael, “Congratulations, My friend on yer marriage to the stubborn Mrs. Kali.”

“Why you!” Kali giggled and playfully hit Tarnas’ arm.

“Ack! Abuse of an old mage,” Tarnas chuckled. “So where is everyone?”

Jisa pointed to the stairs, “I think they’re still sleeping. I’m ‘bout tempted to kick them all outta bed.” She giggled, folding her hands in her lap as she heard a loud “thump” from up stairs.

“Welp, David’s up,” Michael grinned.

Suddenly there came a crash from Jynine’s room. It didn’t sound good to Kali; it scared her for the most part. She looked to Michael then to the stairs. “I’ll be right back,” she said heading for the stairs. Another crash sounded and Kali bolted up the stairs, down the hall and through Jynine’s bedroom door.

There on the floor was a cloaked figure, dead, and Qotan staring at the body, holding his arm, which was bleeding. Jynine was curled up on her bed, still sleeping to Kali’s surprise.

“Forden,” Qotan muttered softly.

“Janar Forden? Why? What? Tell me something about what happened,” Kali stuttered slightly, confused.

Qotan just looked to the sleeping child.

“She wanted to kill her. Why?”

He shrugged, wincing, “I wish I knew. I do think we should move Jynine before she wakes up, though.”

Kali nodded, moving silently to Jynine’s bedside, picked her up slowly not to wake her and walked out the door, down the hall and through her bedroom door.

Qotan knelt down next to the body of Janar and searched her pockets for some kind of paper that might tell him why she’d kill Jynine. Finally, without luck, he gave up. He sat back against the bed, feeling the pain shoot up his arm when he moved. He removed his hand from the wound and saw the damage wasn’t as bad as he thought but the gush of blood wasn’t much of a good sign.

Kali walked back in and hurried to the wounded ranger’s side. “Sit still if you want me to heal you properly.” She placed her hands lightly on Qotan’s arm, one directly on the wound making the ranger groan in pain. Softly she started muttering to herself, closing her eyes, as she began to concentrate on healing Qotan’s arm. Slowly as the wound closed up, she took her hands away. “Everything is going to be alright,” she whispered softly, mostly to herself.

Qotan sighed; he knew nothing is going to be all right, not now, not ever.

Just then Michael, Tarnas, and David appeared in the doorway. All three looked mighty bewildern.

Michael stepped fully into the room, looking from Qotan’s arm, to the body of Janar on the floor and back to Qotan’s arm. “I don’t mean to be rude, but what is Quartus happened?’

“An assassin was sent here to kill Jynine,” Qotan said slowly.

“Why?” David’s voice echoed from the hallway.

Kali looked at Janar, “Because they want the ring.” She felt Qotan take her hand and squeeze it. It was all she could think of, really. The two families in which she was born to want the ring she possesses because of the power it hold. She closed her eyes, mumbled something softly as she did so the body of Janar faded slowly. Once the body was gone, Kali stood up, walked out the door and to the room.

Tarnas watched as Kali stopped at her door, look at him then disappear into her room.

“Did I wake up during a nightmare,” David asked softly.

“Teeder,” Qotan chuckled, “No this is reality.”

“Who you calling a teeder?” David laughed helping Qotan off the floor.

As David and Qotan walked out the door, Michael turned to Tarnas, sighed and followed his brother and the ranger toward the stairs.

Tarnas now knew he showed up at a good time…

Part 20

Kali was sitting in a chair next to the bed, looking at her daughter when Stephen’s voice spoke softly into her ear, “Precious Child. Do you remember that poem I taught you?” Kali nodded. “Say it for me, please.” Kali closed her eyes and began to speak soft words.

I’m only as alone as I believe I am

So says the Sanorya Moon.

I’m only as lost, as I believe I am

So say the Mother moon.

“Very good, Kali,” Stephen’s voice said into her ear again. She opened her eyes, letting her tears flow down her cheeks. She was confused, scared and feeling helpless.

“Tell me, Uncle,” her voice dry and cracking, “is the sixth ring mine?”

“It is, but it was also your brother’s.”

Kali curled up in her chair as if feeling her uncles arms around her, “What am I doing? I don’t know anymore.”

She sighed, curling up more, crying silently. Stephens voice wasn’t answering her, nor did it feel like he was with her either, but someone was. She looked up to meet the eyes of Antar. She looked away, choking a soft sob, “Oh, leave me alone, Ravencall.”

“Can’t do that, Dearest,” Antar said with a chuckle as he sat down into a chair beside Kali. He reached over, took one of her hands and held it as he spoke, “Kali, you do know why I’m here, right?”

She looked at him then looked to her sleeping child, “Hopefully not to kill me or my child.” She felt Antar squeeze her hand and looked at him with fresh tears rolling down her cheeks.

With his free hand, Antar reached up and brushed away the tears, “I wouldn’t do that even if someone paid me more than a million gold coins to do it. Actually, I’m here to protect you. Remember when I told you I could only keep the illness from killing you for two months?” Kali nodded. “It’s been almost five months now, and I know why you or Vildas aren’t fading as quickly as you should. By Kenir, You both should be dead.”

“Mondan de darq,” Kali whispered.

“Yes. Though Vildas should be dead, there’s a bond between him and you in which feeds him power and strength. You both can live forever,” Antar made eye contact for a moment but Kali broke it looking away toward to the floor.

“I don’t want to live forever. I’ve got my family and friends that I want to die with when the time comes.”

Antar sighed, mumbling half to himself as he sat back in the chair. “I’ve fallen in love with…” he trailed off.

Jynine stirred and woke up, “Mommy?” She looked at Kali, her eyes closed slightly with tiredness.

“I’m here, Angel love,” Kali said softly. She got up and walked to the bed, taking her daughter into her arms.

Jynine wrapped her arms and legs around her mother’s body, “Are you OK, Mommy?”

“Yes, Hon, I’m alright. Just missing someone.”

Antar sat there silently, watching Kali work her magik around her daughter like a web of many colors. He wanted to tell Kali something but his voice wouldn’t work properly.

Slowly as she weaved a self-protection around her daughter, he eyes met Antar’s. She always loved confessing things to him, but for some reason this time, whatever was bothering her, she couldn’t spit it out.

“Hi, Unky Vildas,” Jynine said sleepily.

“Hello, Sweety,” Vildas said, putting his hand over the child’s eyes making her fall asleep again. He walked around Kali, taking Jynine from his sister’s arms, set her down on the bed and covered her with the blanket. “Now you sit down. I’ve got some new,” Vildas said softly as he sat on the edge of the bed facing Antar.

Kali returned to her chair, wiping her eyes, “So what’s the news?”

“Janar wasn’t hired by either family like the other assassins Queen Kani wanted both Qotan, Jynine and you dead because I think Jynine is more powerful than anyone can believe but,” Vildas paused, “but she won’t find her power out till her twenty-fourth birthday, in human years that is. She’ll have enough power to destroy the planet if she wanted to.

“Legend says that the birth of a god or goddess will happen upon the seventh eclipse of the five moons. You gave birth to Jynine on the seventh eclipse, remember?”

Kali nodded but looked very confused.

“Kali Lia, it means Jynine is more powerful than you and I put together. Antar said six rings. One each for Michael, David, Durk, Qotan, and Jisa, right?” Kali nodded again. “The sixth is the most powerful and it must go to Jynine.”

“She won’t understand she’s only eight years old!” Kali said frightened of losing her only daughter, “plus, you don’t know if Jynine is whom they speak of in the legend.”

Vildas pulled a parchment from the air, held it in front of him and began reading:

In the year of which the great wars have passed by a day, the five moons of Dinoa will be fully dark and eclipsed while a child is born to a woman of great magic. This child will have the powers tenfold of the great house Kalen and powers tenfold of the house Derian.

Kali shook her head, listening.

As here by said in this document. The foreshadowing to the end of all living has been told. Also within this document, We, the High Council of Val’de’Non, here by wait for this child and shall hunt her or him ourselves till we have her or his blood on our hands.

Vildas stopped there, sighing. He hands the parchment to Antar who took it, rolled it up and put it back into the air where it disappeared. “Kali, I know how hard this is for you.”

“No, you don’t,” Kali snapped, “You don’t know the pain… the… the anger. How could the gods think of such a thing?”

Antar briefly looked at Kali before getting out of his chair. He walked to the bed, picked up the sleeping child and cradled her in his arms.

Kali saw this, jumped to her feet and stood before Antar, “What are you doing?”

“Taking her to our home. I said I’d protect you both, not only for you or Vildas but for me as well. Because I love you, Kali,” he felt Vildas’s hand on his arm, “It’s the only way to keep the killers away.”

Vildas, now standing slightly behind Antar, hand on his friends arm, “Just make sure her bedroom, and Kali’s, are ready.”

“No!” Kali cried out, reaching for her daughter only to end up in her brother’s arms. “Why did you let him?” She cried into Vildas’s shoulder.

Vildas wrapped his arms tightly around his sister, trying to soften the heavy sobs wrenching her body. He tried to think of something to tell his sister but there was nothing, no reason, but to keep his niece safe, and his beloved twin as well. “I’ll take care of her and you, I promise,” was all that fell from his lips, as if that was all his voice could speak.

Kali cried deeply into Vildas’s tunic. At this point she began to wonder if anyone was wondering where she was. She jumped when someone knocked on the door. “Kali? Can I come in?” Tarnas’s voice spoke from the other side of the door.

“Yes,” Vildas answered.

Tarnas opened the door, saw Vildas and hurried to close the door, “So where’s my son?”

Kali buried her face deeper into Vildas’s shoulder, as he held her close, speaking softly, “You may want to sit for this.”

Part 21

“Uh, ok,” Tarnas slowly sat down into the wooden rocking chair. “So, you gonna tell me what’s going on and where’s Jynine?”

Kali looked at Tarnas, now that she’d settled down, her eyes burning now that she ran out of tears. She tries to speak but her voice wouldn’t work...

“Antar took Jynine to our home. I was watching Janar since she showed up a few months ago. Over the past week she didn’t do anything except wonder aimlessly through the woods. She hid out in Jynine’s room last night, when I guess she heard orders to kill Jynine.”

Tarnas look confused, “Sorry to interrupt yer story, laddie, but why would Tarnas be hired to kill Jynine?”

“She is the destined child, Tarnas, remember the legend?”

Now he remembered why Jynine seems to learn magic easily, Tarnas had read the legend but never thought about it. The child would be…dangerous, he thought to himself.

“Only reason I remembered about the parchment was Antar brought the subject up about a week ago. Kali is only the Mondan de darq; Jynine was not only born on the seventh eclipse but of both families started.

“So, Antar and I made arrangements for Jynine to live with him and I for as long as needed she’ll be safe…”

“And away from her mother!” Tarnas interrupted again, standing up. “Can you see what yer putting yer sister thorough?”

“Yes, I see, hear, and feel what pain she’s in,” Vildas said painfully, closing his eyes.

Kali looked at Tarnas, “He’s saving my child. He’s going to take care of her and make sure that she’s always safe. I trust my brother and Antar with my daughter, even though you don’t.”

“They are dark elves. Do you not feel the evil warmth they give off?”

Kali could fell the heat, but not by much. She’d cried onto Vildas’s shoulder a lot over the past few months. To her it was safety, protection, and family.

Tarnas sighed, sitting back into the chair, “You’ll have to tell everyone else about what’s going on.”

“I will. Vildas will also explain to them everything they need to know. “She looked up at her twins face, speaking to his mind, “They need to know, I can’t do it alone.”

Vildas looked into his sisters green eyes, admiring the gold shimmer. He nodded, saying aloud, “I’ll tell them what they need to know. But I can’t leave this room, that’s not part of the pact Kali and I made.”

Tarnas looked to the twins, amazed. He couldn’t tell one from the other, except Kali was slightly shorter and hard golden-green eyes while Vildas had just dark green eyes. Also he realized that they have been communicating more than any knew. They made a deal, who knows what else, He thought to himself.

Antar appeared in a child’s room that was filled with stuffed animals and a huge canopy bed where he planned to set the sleep child. He walked towards the bed, pulled the curtains aside and set the child down lightly onto the velvet covers.

As he stepped back, he looked at Jynine thoughtfully. “Poor child. Doesn’t have a clue of anything.” He pulled the curtains closed a crack and found a chair at the table.

Sirire pranced in, purring, “She here?”

Antar nodded, “Sleeping.”

The black cat jumped in between the curtains at the foot of the bed. She looked at the sleeping girl, purring softly. She made her way towards the child inspecting her quietly. Such a beautiful child, Sirire said to herself, and look at those protections she has around her. The glowing rainbow of color webbed around Jynine’s body and from what Sirire could see it was Kali’s wards.

Slowly she made her way to Antar’s side of the bed, jumped through the curtains and onto the table. She sat down, looking at Antar sideways, “I don’t mean to intrude on precious thoughts, but did Kali do the protection web around the girl?”

Antar nodded, “She did that and put wards of protection around the room they were in.”

Sirire looked towards the bed briefly before looking back at Antar, “And where’s Kali? Thought you were bring both.”

“Vildas will bring her. Don’t worry, nothing bad will happen.”

“Yeah, not until Jynine is fully in her second stage. It really isn’t wise to bring them here, “She said, regretting agreeing with the whole plan.

“But it’s safer here,” Antar began, his voice tired and filled with worry, “if Kali or Jynine get caught by the gods, they are surely to be put to death. And when Kali dies, Vildas dies.“

Sirire nodded, staying silent.

Jynine woke wondering why she wasn’t in her bed. She sat up, looked around and saw through the crack of the curtain Sirire and Antar. Slowly she made her way to the curtain and opened it a bit more.

Antar smiled at Jynine and opened his arms, “C’mere, Hon.”

Jynine smiled a bit, crawled off the bed and walked to Antar. As she climbed up into his lap and curled up, she look around, “Unky Antar. Where am I?”

Surprised at the name, he cradled Jynine close, “Well you’re in your new but temporary home. It’s gotten a bit too dangerous for you at the tavern.”

“Where’s mommy?”

“She’s coming. Soon.” Yes, he thought, be here soon. He held Jynine closer and looked at Sirire, who curled up into a purring black fur bull. He himself closed his eyes; being tired from the work he did the night before. He’d extracted 3 rings already and was just ready to do the fourth when the commotion with Janar started. He said to himself many times that he should’ve killed when he had the chance, but instead he let her live. He looked down at Jynine, she’d fallen back asleep, and smiled.

“Ye knew, this might not be so bad after all,” Sirire's voice said softly into Antar’s mind, he only nodded, brushing a wisp of hair from Jynine face.

Sirire looked at Antar, purring softly, smiling to herself. “Never knew he was so good with kids,” she giggled in her mind then closed her eyes and fell asleep.

“The daughter is gone, she’s disappeared, master,” a deformed gnome said, running into the chambers. He stopped slightly behind a giant long back chair that faced the fireplace.

“Kali as well?” A deep, commending voice said calmly from the chair.

“No, master, Mondan de darq still resides in the tavern, but her daughter disappeared,” the gnomes said, voice shaking with fear.

A growl sounded from the chair then a slow evil laugh, “So Kali thinks she can hide Jynine.” A large husky man stood up out of the chair. His robes of velvet wisped the ground lightly as he walked towards the fireplace. “I want to talk with Antar. He must know where the child is.”

The gnome nodded and bowed stiffly before walking out the chamber door.

“She really doesn’t know the trouble she’s getting herself into, does she?” The man reached for a blooming black rose with a rather large hand, lifting it to his nose, “I believe she’ll accept my offer this time, or at least consider becoming mine,” he grimed, crushing the rose, throwing the ruined flower into the fire, “She better figure out what she wants to do.”

He looked up at a picture of Kali, “O’sweet love, do not take her from me.”

Part 22

“So now you all know why I had Jynine taken,” Vildas said as he looked from each person in the room. His eyes met with David’s hateful and distrusting eyes, which made him feel his heart beat even faster than it already was. “I don’t mean to take her away forever, though she is my niece as well, I cannot keep her from her mother.”

“But you did,” Michael said with a soft growl. He was staring at the floor, hoping a hole would open so he could shove the posing twin of Kali’s through it.

“Only to protect her,” Vildas hung his head, “I only wish to protect my family.”

Qotan was furious, but controlling his anger as well as he could. His fist was clenched and his eyes glared at Vildas. “My daughter, my only daughter taken by a… a dark elf,” he thought.

Kali, who was standing next to her brother, was trying to figure out things in her mind. “Alright, so all because Vildas is a dark elf, you all think he can’t protect and take care of Jynine?”

“We didn’t say that,” Tarnas said from behind her, “or I mean they didn’t say that.”

“But they did think it. Every single one of you is thinking every dark elf is evil and shouldn’t be trusted. This is my blood, my flesh… Vildas is part of me,” she pointed out, “but you won’t accept that, will you?”

Durk stood up, looking at the twins, “I remember when ye both were just babes. I also remember how much ye both trusted each other.” He bowed his head, “When I found out Lord Vildas became a dark elf, I was afraid he’d become a worthless tyrant, but,” raising his head, “he hasn’t changed. He looks out for his family and is a trust worthy friend.”

Vildas looked at Durk, who smiled at him and bowed, “Thankye, Old friend. I can’t stay for much longer, without Antar I can’t mind port back home.” Suddenly a stabbing pain went through his body. Clutching his sides, he fell to the floor. “Randin…”

Kali’s face had pain in it from being able to feel Vildas’ pain. She knelt beside her brother, speaking to him softly, feeling a hand on her shoulder, “Randin what? What is he doing?”

Vildas closed his eyes. He searched the darkness and fighting the pain to go into the link to his teacher, Randin. A vision came forth, slowly he explained key items, “Fireplace… black roses… a picture painting,” he stopped one he saw who the painting was of.

“What’s the painting of?” Kali asked.

Vildas opened his teary eyes and looked straight to Kali, “You.” The pain slowly went away as he sat up. “It was of you.”

Kali shook her head, “couldn’t have been.”

“But it was. He was brushing your cheek on the painting. The pain was him burning the roses and repudiating me as an apprentice,” Vildas looked at his sister with distrust at the moment.

Kali got up and walked from her brother, “I didn’t know he was your teacher as well. Do you think I wanted to be alone?! I wanted to learn the arts of magick because my brother was the Doini and I was cream to every.”

“But Randin is a… a… DEMON!”

Kali spun around, tears streaking her face, “I KNOW! I wanted to be in a real family.”

Qotan stepped towards Kali, “Out daughter’s life rests in your hands, always did, yet you let her go”

“You daughter?” Michael stepped away from the wall.

“Yeah, his daughter,” David said calmly.

“That’s when the fight broke out. David and Michael started bickering and Jisa was brought into it. The fighting got so bad Durk was yelling and Tarnas was holding Qotan back,” the matron said.

“Where were you, Grandma,” a child said from the group of children in front of the elderly elven woman.

She chuckled, “Dear Arine, I was curled in the corner. Vildas was standing in front of me, like protecting me.”

A small girl stood up, her sea green eyes had dark color changing pupils, and her hair, a dark brown, flowed over her shoulders as she toed the floor. Her singsong voice was soft as she spoke, “Grandma Kali. What happened to Auntie Jynine?”

“Well, Dirlyn,” Kali said softly, “That’s one part of the story Sirire will have to tell you”

“Alright, Children. Granma Kali needs her rest. She’s told you more of that story than you need to hear,” a young woman that looked like Kali when she was younger said walking up to the ground of children around Kali herself.

“Aw mom,” or “Auntie Jynine,” were heard from the group of children as they stood up, kissed or hugged Kali, saying their “goodnight” and “I love you” before running up the stairs.

“G’night, my loves,” Kali said softly after the children. “My oh my… how long have I been telling the story?”

“Since noon or better. It’s almost evening watch now. By far past the children’s bedtime,” Jynine giggled, sitting on the floor next to her mother’s chair, putting her head on Kali’s lap.

Kali smiled and began to pet Jynine’s hair lightly, “Where is your uncle?”

“Antar is still out on his journey, and Vildas is in the kitchen helping Aunt Jisa. When is daddy supposed to be home?”

“Qotan won’t be home for another few days,” Kali sighed.

“You missing Uncle Michael still,” Jynine said lifting her head up.

Kali nodded, “I’ll always miss him till I join him. Along side David and Michael I’ll be soon.”

“Yes, I know,” Jynine sighed and put her head back onto Kali’s lap. “Taren should be home soon,” she said softly. Taren was a tall red headed warlock that had been out on a quest for the king. They, Jynine and Taren, were married a month and a year ago before Michael had died and a few months after David died of corin sickness.

She was about 28 or so now with two children. Arine is a six-year-old boy that looked like his father, red mop of hair with blue eyes. Then there was newly born Denia, sweet child with green golden eyes.

“Jynine, the babe’s crying again,” said a nurse from the nursery, which had been an addition to the tavern to house all the orphans that Kali had taken in after the corin outbreak.

Corin sickness was one of the eyes and hands that spread quickly throughout the body. It was also messy, mostly because the puss bubbles that formed on the hands always broke open, and the ill person was blind two days in the first stage. David though tried everything, but there was nothing that could save him. Tarnas had died and as well as Durk. Both died heroically fighting against wild-mage Randin… But that is for another story time.

Jynine looked up at her mother as she felt the magickal ring on her finger grow warm, “Antar’s home,” she said with a smile.

Antar walked in laden with a few huge bags, which found themselves on the floor with a thud, “I wonder. There are two reasons I’m back early.” He grinned; making the scar that went over his left eye wrinkly. The scar was made when Antar refused to give Jynine up to Randin. “One reason is I’m hungry. And the number two reason is,” he looked at Jynine, “I missed my family.”

Jynine smiled, got up and walked to Antar. While hugging him she whispered, “There’s a third reason, too.”

“Ah yes. Gifts,” Antar chuckled hugging Jynine back. He was happy to be home.

Part 23

“This is just beautiful,” Jynine said, smiling as she looked at the rain gem bracelet around her wrist.

“I’m glad you like it, Jynine,” Antar said. He looked at Kali, who sighed as she looked out the window at the beginning of the fifth eclipse, “Something wrong, Lovely Kali?”

Kali smiled at Antar, sadly, “Just hoping I live to see the seventh eclipse.”

“You will. I promise,” Antar said with a sigh as he took her hand and lightly squeezed it.

Jynine stood up, “I’m going to head to bed. If I do stay up, who knows what could happen.” She kissed her mother’s and Antar’s cheek then walked off towards the stairs.

Just as Antar and Kali seen Jynine’s feet disappear over the last step, Vildas emerged from the kitchen. “New brew,” he grinned walking towards his sister and best friend with three glasses of freshly brewed wine. “Good to see you home, Antar,” he said handing him a glass.

“Good to be home. Got something for you,” Antar said. Setting down his glass on the table next to him, he reached into a small pouch on his belt. After working the laces loose, he pulled out a small onyx tear gem. “I got this as a gift from the dragon king, Leythus. Dragon tear gems can’t do much but I think they are useful for turning people into slugs,” Antar chuckled slightly as he handed Vildas the gem.

“Well thank you, son’tyria,” Vildas said putting the gem into his side pouch after checking it over and noting he’ll have to look at it later.

Kali sighed. Both Antar’s and Vildas’ voices became a blurred mumble in her head. The five moons were fully eclipsed now, she thought, I wish I will be able to see the seventh… it was always that most beautiful of them all. When two were red and the rest disappeared like they did almost a thousand years before.

She sighed again. Dazing into her own world, dreaming of the past. Remembering the things that happened. The time she died… death was what she was longing. She looked to her hands. Empty, she thought.

“Kali?” Vildas said again and again, over and over. “How long has she been like this?”

Antar shrugged.

They had laid Kali on the couch thinking she was sleeping, but her eyes were wide and looked frightened. Vildas was saying her name while Antar tried to figure out what was wrong.

Kali couldn’t see anything but blood. She had slashed her wrists and was now bleeding profusely. Blood was on her dress and her skin, on the chair and floor. She felt so scared and wanted the bleeding to stop but it didn’t. Her powers were gone. She couldn’t heal herself.

Suddenly Vildas saw blood flow, though he didn’t know from where. He could tell Antar seen it too. They looked for the source but found none.

“No, Kali. Don’t do this. Not now,” Antar practically shouted at Kali; who was growing pale. “Jisa!”

Jisa Te ran out of the kitchen, “What’s going on?” She saw Kali, the blood on Vildas and Antar’s hands. “Oh my.”

“Get Jynine. HURRY!”

Jisa nodded and ran up the stairs, yelling, “Jynine. Wake up.”

Vildas held his sister’s hand, crying, talking to her softly, “Sister, please… don’t… don’t go.”

Kali turned her head to look at Vildas. Smiling, she put a bloody hand to his cheek, softly talking, “Its alright now. Free and happy,” she paused as her body convulsed suddenly then relaxed. With her last breath she spoke, “I love you.” Then her body went limp.

Vildas held her close, crying hard against the bloody corpse.

Antar stood up, tears streaking his cheeks as he stepped away from the two bodies.

Soon after Kali passed away, Jynine and Jisa raced down the stairs. Jynine stopped at the bottom, hands over her mouth, boiling tears running down her cheeks. “No. Not my mom,” she said softly. She turned to go back up the stairs only to find herself in Antar’s evil warm embrace.

Jisa ran back upstairs to keep the children from seeing anything.

“Couldn’t do anything. Not a thing. She… She…” Vildas cried even harder, stroking Kali’s hair with his bloody hand, staining her now pure silver white hair. Over and over, as he rocked his now dead sister, he repeated the words to her favorite poem:

Sitting in darkness

Alone in black nothingness

Crying, crying, crying.

Will these tears not end?

Will there be happiness again?

Yet I sit alone

Alone in black nothingness

Crying, crying, crying

Salty tears down my cheeks

Feeling no one around

No arms to hold me

No hands to brush these tears away.

So I sit

In darkness

Alone in black nothingness

Crying, crying…

Sleeping,

Peacefully sleeping,

Alone in black nothingness,

Along in a dark, hallow nothing.

Two days after Kali’s suicide, Vildas died. Qotan arrived later that day with new that the new Queen was one of the house Tehri, non-magic users from the plains.

Kali was buried along side Michael and David with Vildas’ grave above her head like her guardian angel. During the burial ceremony, a basket of cariel petals was spread out onto the lake to honor the Enternal three from the time before Stephen, Teria and Darikk.

The six rings were given to the children who Kali raised. Ring of the Mind was given to Melia. Ring of Nature was handed to Dulyn. The Ring of Truth was trusted to Ginle. And Dirlyn is to hold the Ring of Enternal Flame. The sixth ring, the Ring of the Spirit, held the most power. It was said Jynine still wears this ring even though she’s tamed her powers, but Arine, her son, has been seen wearing it.

Many are afraid the power that the rings hold. For the past 20 years Jynine’s power has grown and soaked into the ring she wears. For another time, another place the ring holds all power.

A child is heard crying from the back room of the cottage. An uneasy father awaits the news just out side the door.

He stands up as the posing nurse opens the door and peeks her head out, “Milord.” Her face at first worried him, but she smiled and said, “It’s a girl.” He sighed in relief and wiped the sweat from his brow.

After awhile he was allowed in to see his wife and newly born daughter. He walked towards the bed where his wife was admiring the beautiful creation in her arms. Speaking softly as he sits on the edge of the bed, “Hey. How’re my girls doing?”

“We’re fine,” his wife said with a giggle as the baby yawned, then looked at her husband, “Maybe a bit tired but fine.”

“What’s her name?”

“Lyria Fi,” She said with a soft smile, looking back at the deep golden-eyed child.