Secrets of the Realm Series: The Dark Knight

songs to listen to while reading this chapter, in order. Search this into youtube it should come up. Most Beautiful Music Ever: "On Eagle's Wings" by Andrew Skeet and Matthew Nicholson, Most Beautiful Music: "Believe" by Tales Of The Forgotten,Tony Anderson-Dreams and Visions, Stephan Moccio- Ow, Most Epic Music Ever: "Sunder" by Really Slow Motion Mommy! Mommy!" I search and search but she is gone. I wonder into the woods trying to find her. I begin to walk and I cannot remember why I came in here. Why am I here? I am scared, where am I? I fall to the ground from exhaustion. I begin to cry because I am scared. I fall asleep after crying for hours. Something screeches. I wake suddenly scared. I see a scary dog like monster and more behind it. I know I can't be scared, I get up and look at the rabbid dog leader straight in the eye. "You will go away!" The dog was staring at me and hesitating. "NOW!" and a flash of bright light came from my hand. The dogs yelped and burned to ashes. But before anything else happened I fell unconscious and woke up in a house. Where was I? What happened? "Hello," The deep man's voice scares me and I back away. "Please don't be scared. My name is Akkar, I found you unconscious in the woods. I brought you back to my home. This is my wife Bele." Bele walked in, she was beautiful. Her smile calmed me. She was pregnant not too far along. I began to cry and she immediately came to my side. "Oh my child. Don't you cry. Please do not be frightened." From that day forward I wasn't alone anymore. "What is your name child." Akkar said softly afraid to scare me. "Veara." * * * * * * * I feel the warm breeze on my skin. It's time to wake. Today is the day I rise as a warrior. I open my eyes hardly being able to contain my excitement. I jump out of bed get ready myself. The sun has not yet risen but I am alert. I quietly leave my room my home still quiet with sleep. Everyone is mostly asleep still. Some are waking to ready for the day. I come to a clearing far in the whispering woods. I begin to breath in the fresh cool spring air. The sun begins to rise and take my sword out. I glide left and right practicing the sword art. I am lost in my technique and barely notice my fairy friends come. Fairies live in these woods. They are my friends, when I had none and the only friends I can truly trust. Elves and Fairies do not usually mix. They tolerate each other but only so much. "Veara!" Alfreda spoke her voice so small yet so loud. It fit her personallity perfectly. "Alreda, Laila, Zephyr." I smile knowing that other than my family they are the only friends I have. We sit and watch the sun rise. Laila, the most quiet of us speaks. "Will we still see you Veara?" She is worried and sad. "Of course, maybe not as often if I have missions but you will see me." Although I say this, I do not know whether is will be true. My life is changing today. I am becoming an elven warrior. When I saw my adaptive father training others I practiced secretly always coming to this very spot to practice. When I was of age I begged him to train me and he did. I excelled at a young age and when I was 18 I was allowed to enter the academy. Now I am 20 years of age and I have completed my training. Top of my class. I didn't care much for titles, I just wanted to get away from ordinary life. I didn't want to be known as a half breed but an elven warrior. "It will be okay. Don't you worry. I will come back with stories to tell of the great unknown. Just you wait." I wink at them. They fly up to my face and place kisses on my cheeks. ''We bless you Veara." and they fly away waving to me as I wave back. I feel a wave of sadness come over me. I am not the girl I once was. I get up memorizing the landscape around me. Remember the memories. I see the creek and kneel down to see my reflection. Dark brown hair and hazy golden eyes. Dark brown hair and 1 hazy golden eye and one blue. Any half elf had certain things that maid them stand out. I had dark hair and one blue eye others had other markers. Elves had different shades of grey hair and royals had white hair. All the elves had piercing blue eyes. Royals had white. I was not like them. An outcast. But I never let this stop me, why would I think of this now? I got up not allowing all these thoughts to consume me. The sun was up and I had to go, it was time. I walked towards the training grounds where everyone was gathered. My father spoke. "Today is a great day! Today you become warriors!" everyone saluted in unison. "Today you become protectors of the Elven kingdom." everyone saluted in unison again. The King and Queen of Colathrad stepped out. "Indeed this is a joyous day in Colathrad! We have new warriors who will be a living reminder of our fallen. We will honor our fallen brother and sister, for their sacrifice kept Colathrad safe." Silence filled the room. This moment was such a powerful one. Once the silence was over they began announcing the names of the new warriors. Our heads stayed down until we were called. My name was called "Veara of Colathrad! Sídh n- with cin" my head lifted up and said "Sídh n- with cin" which means Peace be with you. Different. In a sea of white I was a speck of brown. Different and strong. I felt strong among my elven brothers and sister. Most people who were half breeds would stay hidden. They would become inn keepers, sell produce and other material goods. I was not going to cower in fear. After every name was called, we were beckoned to rise and we did as one. The king blessed us and the party began. It was wonderful to know I was accepted by my fellow warriors. No one looked differently on me. People saw me for who I was, a warrior. "Veara! We are so proud of you! You worked hard to gain your place among us and today you are with us." Elashor said while a group of elven warriors nodded. My father came and hugged me. "Veara, my daughter, I am proud of you. I know how hard you worked." Tears threaten me but I try to keep them down. "Thank you father, if it weren't for your guidance I would not have passed." My father was a strong general. His embrace felt so warm and calming. He found me in the forest of forgotten memories when I was 5. I couldn't remember anything except my name. * * * * * * * The next week remained the same and I trained and followed through small missions. My father woke me before dawn. "Veara this is urgent! You must wake, now!" I hurriedly woke and dressed. Father was anxious. Once out of the house I asked him, "what is going on father?" "Not here Veara. No one can hear us." I follow obediently. We came to the King and Queen in a room I have not seen before. Prince Reysalor was there and another warrior I have not yet met. I have heard of him, another half breed warrior, but this was the first time I have seen him. He is older than me and usually out on missions. I have heard he is brutal and arrogant. "Veara, welcome." "King Beldbroth, Queen Daealla." I bow in respect. They motion me to rise. The Queen began to speak. "We have called you all because we have reason to believe the Medallion of Destiny has resurfaced The Medallion of Destiny was lost to us many years ago during the war. It has unspeakable power, if in the wrong hands, can destroy the world as we know it. It was trusted to us because we could control its power and hide it from the world. It is now our responsibility to retrieve it. You will need to travel to each realm to retrieve the medallion they have. The only way to find the Medallion is to gather the medallions of Knowledge, Strength, and Valor. We will give you the first, the Medallion of Knowledge. Strength can be found in the human kingdom, Valor in the Dwarf Kingdom. All three medallions must one taken to the fairy kingdom to be able to find the Medallion of Destiny." The King placed the Medallion of Knowledge in my hand. "Why me?" I say worried I am not ready for such a task. "Because you are powerful Veara, you must find that power on your own. You need to discover who you are. "Ceri- ú- n- afraid mui hén" my father says. "I am not afraid father, I will bring the medallion back. No matter the consequence. I will not fail you. Honor a glorui na colothrad" I kneel placing my hand on my forehead as a sign of promise. The queen places a hand on my head. "Maui cín journeui n- prosperous" I raise. "Two other will join you, Ruven and Prince Reysalor." I see both of them look at each other, they seem to loath one another. They are both around the same age. Ruven has black hair with a streak of silver. His eyes are different, one green the one blue. Ruven is more build, no doubt because of the many battles he has encountered. A scare on Ruven's face which runs from his forehead down his nose and ends on this cheek leaves me wondering what happened. Reysalor is elven royalty: White hair, white eyes. Although Reysalor is not weak he has not seen many battle and you can tell. I try not to stare too much. We are dismissed and I head to armory. This will not be an easy journey. I feel a tap on my shoulder and its Prince Reysalor. I bow. "Please, do not bow. I don't want you bowing every time you see me on this journey. Also, call me Reysalor." He smiles brilliantly. He is handsome but I push that out of mind. "Of course, Reysalor. I am Veara." We arrive at the armory. I head to the bow's and arrow. I choose my arrows sharpe and strong. I check each and everyone of them. Reysalor chooses a sword. Ruven walks in he glances in my directions but there is not a signal word that comes out of his mouth. He chooses a mace. No surprise there. He straps on a whip. "You know it's rude to stare" He says without looking at me. "Its not staring but observing." I turn to my arrow feeling little flushed being caught staring. I turn around and Ruven is right in front of me, his face inches from mine. "You could just ask" he says eyes piercing into mine. My heart flutters but I quickly keep it under control. I place a hand on his un armored chest. This blouse has a v-shaped cut which is tided at the top. His skin is hot under my touch. I push him back. "I didn't want to." I walk away before my heart leaps from my chest. I walk back home. Late a night I cannot sleep, usually illuminating light from the moon doesn't bother me, but today it does. I toss and turn. I light my candle and sit staring at the moon. A knock comes at my door. Father peaks through. "Can I come in?" I pat a spot next to me moving over for him to sit next to me. "Veara, I know this must be sudden and you may be warey of your abilities but I want you to know there is something hidden inside you that you don't even know exists." He pauses and I know that there is something he hasn't told me. "Veara, when I found you that night in the woods, there were wild ghoul dogs after you. You were unconscious and all 5 of the dogs were scorched. There was no one around you and I sensed you were a lone for a while." He pauses, the words begin to sink in. "I think you were the one who did that." "But how? I am only half elven. I do not have magic." he grabs my hands in his. "Veara, I don't know. We do not know who your mother is or father. This is why I wanted you to go on this mission. I knew the only way to help you is to allow you to go out of this place. I am afraid to loose you but more afraid of what that doormat power can do once unleashed. You must understand." He pulls out a satchel of arrow, pure silver. "These are mine, they have been passed down from general to general. I want you to have them." I grab one of the arrows and examine it. "Akkar, thank you." I hug him. He smiles. "Veara you must beware of each Kingdom but mostly the human kingdom. Now get some sleep, you will have a long journey." He leaves me room. Although falling sleep is difficult I eventually drift to sleep. * * * * * * * Three days have passed. We have been training and in meetings all week trying to get the best possible knowledge on the medallions. I wake as the sun rises, we will leave today. I sit in my bed and look outside at the sun. Remembering my fairy friends. I ready myself and say goodbye to Bele and Beluar. "Veara," Beluar says trying to hold in tears. "Don't leave" I grab him gently by the shoulders. "Beluar, you are a strong man. You need to take care of mother while I am gone and dad is on duty. You are a warrior. I will be back with many goodies for you. I love you little warrior." I muffle his hair and he laughs. Although 15, Beluar is kind hearted, like Bele, and falls on his emotions. I do not think he will be a warrior but rather the keeper of knowledge. All Elves are taught to be warriors but not all stay that way. I give everyone one last hug and Akkar and I leave the house heading towards the front gates. They are large and made of pure elven silver which is unlike any other silver in the world. Very few things can penetrate our doors. Ruven, Reysalor, and the King are there. “This will not be an easy task. Please be careful and come to home to us. Beware of the kingdoms, they all have their secrets.Glenn- with sídh, go with peace." We bow and the gates open. Now our journey begins.