The Shadow of Amulets

Something to learn

This chapter occurs while Elvia was in Lester's camp before leaving to join Link and Alaan...

"...What...where am I?..." "Can't you see? I'm right here" a girl said. "I don't understand...who are yo---" I said as I immediately stopped only to see someone standing across from me. "...Alice! You're...here!" I say as my eyes start to tear up. "Of course I'm here, you said you will always be with me, didn't you?" she replied softly. "I will always protect you, Alice! I will always be with you" I say with tears falling down from my eyes as I ran towards her to hug her. I grabbed her and hugged her tightly for a few seconds only to realize that she disappeared. "You couldn't protect me Elvia. You weren't strong enough and for that, I'm gone" Alice said as she disappeared. "Alice wait! please! please! please,!!!" I said with flowing tears.

Elvia's POV

Suddenly I jumped up on my bed as I woke up in fright. I was sweating from the nightmare I just had. "That was intense...it felt so real... I sat there for a few minutes before getting up. I opened the window to let some breeze in and I stood there looking at the sky. After that, I got cleaned up and put on my gear, and then proceeded to walk out of my room and to the others.

I walked out of my room and found the rest of the group. "Elvia we need your help over here" Lester yelled slightly. I got over there and said good morning to everyone. "So what's the situation?" I asked. "We're running out of wood and I need you to collect some from the outskirts of the forest" Lester explained. "Awesome, I was looking for some morning training," I say excitedly as I grab a bag and head out into the woods. "Make sure you don't go too far okay" Lester shouted. "Maybe" I shout back.

20 minutes have passed and now I'm in the middle of the forest collecting wood. As I was gathering wood I decided to help myself to a little training. I set up wooded logs attached to many trees around the area. My goal was to shoot an arrow through each log in the fastest time.

I get ready and then I start shooting.

Arrow after arrow I shot. Each one hitting straight the centre. I smiled at the result but knew I could do it faster.

I decided to go back to gathering the Wood. I was almost finished but as I looked down I heard something fly through the air. I heard the sound was coming straight at me but that was too late as it hit me on the side of the neck. "What the! Show yourself!" I shout but no answer. I try to fight it but I begin to weaken. Within seconds I fall to the ground. "Who...are...you" I barely say as I fall unconscious.

...

...

"Hello...are you awake?" a figure said as my eyes open slowly. My vision was quite blurry, however, after a minute, I began to see clearly. I was in some sort of cave. "What did you do to me!" I bark loudly to realize that my hands were tied. "I hit you with a tranq dart, causing you to fall unconscious. You've been out for about 20 minutes" the man said. From where I was, I couldn't see the man's face but I could see he had a slightly long beard. He was covered in a strange purple cloak including his face. I never saw a person like him before and he looked somewhat old like in his fifties.

"I apologize for abducting you but it was for good reason," the man said. "What are you talking about?!. And who are you?!" I reply fiercely.

"Gregory is my name and I've come to reveal important information to you," he said mysteriously. "Well, it's not like I can decline so just tell me," I said bluntly.

There was a pause and then he started to speak. "Have you heard of the 'Amulets of Xadia'?" the man said slowly. "Amulets...of Xadia?" I said confused. "Yes. Also known as the 'Stones of Magic'" the man replied. "Look I don't know who you think I am but I've never heard of-----" suddenly a thought flashed in my head. "Wait what did he say, 'stones'. is he...talking about the stone Link found a few days ago" I say deep in thought in my head.

"Looks to me like you've remembered something," the man said with a smirk. "What's it to you If I know or not?!," I said. "Well, whether or not you know... you must gather all the Amulets and bring them together. That large volt of green light that shot into the clouds was the first act that started the chain" the man explained. I was trying to digest what I was hearing for a few moments until I started to speak. "What are those stones and what are they for?" I asked wanting an answer. The man took a deep breath and then spoke. "There was a time where food was critically low. Sickness and poverty were high and the world, in general, life was just unbalanced. A miracle occurred soon after in the form of these magical stones that appeared. It first started out with the first stone being found and then others came next in different parts of the land. It was said that these stones were a generator for good fortune and happiness. One man proposed the idea of uniting all the stones together to create a circle. That idea didn't bode well for the different rulers at the time as they wanted to keep the stones as their treasure alone. It soon escalated into a major disagreement which eventually lead to war. It was at that point that the magical stones disappeared. The reason why is still unknown. We believe that the Amulets of Xadia have been resurrected after many centuries and this will, in turn, help the world right now where it is on the brink of destruction.

It took me a while to digest all of his information. I don't even know how he knows so much about the stones but can I really trust what he says. "Okay, you told me about the Amulets. What do you need me for?" I say with confusion. "When the first Amulet was found, we knew it was time for history to repeat itself. The person who found the first Amulet is one of the 'Signers'. There are a select few people to who the Amulets are called to just like the last time the amulets were revealed and he is one of them" the man explained. "Link...was chosen?" I say in deep thought. "We also believe you are another of them," he said. "Me? I have no relation to these Amulets. I just happened to be there when he found it" I replied. "Sooner or later you will know if you are one of the Signers," the man said. "Look I have absolutely no reason to trust anything your saying. I don't even know you and what your saying doesn't make sense. Magic doesn't exist in this world" I reply fiercely. There was a pause and then the man spoke. "Would you like to see Alice again Elvia?" the man said with a slight smile. "Alice...how do you know her name and mine!" I shouted. "I know you blame yourself for not protecting her when 'it happened' so seeing her again would be in your best interest wouldn't it?" the man replied. "How...It's not possible..." I said weakly. "If all the Amulets are gathered, it can be done," the man said. "You could see her again" he added.

"Here, cut yourself free," he said as he tossed a knife that landed on my lap. "I must go now but think about what I said" he added.

He then stood up and walked out of the cave to then disappear.

I was shocked how he just disappeared but that didn't matter right now as I needed to escape. I turned around to grab the knife with my hands and slowly cut myself free. I stood up next and then came out of the cave. I knew where I was, the man took me to a desolate cave not too far from the forest. I headed back towards the forest but my mind was completely focused on everything the old man told me. "Was he telling the truth? What are these Amulets and what's it got to do with me? And who are the others beside Link who are connected?" I said as I kept asking myself tons of questions in my head.