Prologue
Ashwin.1725
Tynacia screamed and flipped in mid-air away from the red beam of light. It bounced off of her gold staff as she hit the ground. The forest grass was cold and covered in leaves. She stood quickly, swinging her staff into another light. It flashed and bounced off the yellow metal. There was a loud crack and she ducked out of the way as the large tree next to her snapped and fell, digging into the ground.
She turned, taking in a deep breath. Where had she gone? A twig snapped behind her and she raised her staff. The end lit up, lighting the small forest clearing. No one was there. She turned, and found red eyes glowing in the distance. Tynacia stood, ready to defend herself, her staff raised. She could see nothing but the eyes staring back at her, the multi-colored flashes from above reflected in their evil pleasure. The eyes blinked, and then moved, a small face appearing in the flow of the staff’s light. Tynacia’s heart pounded, and a cold, malicious grin spread wide on the face. She should have attacked, but she was frozen, unable to think. There was a green, blinding flash and the red-eyed face was gone. The silence that followed was deafening. The colored flashes above faded away as a green mist floated higher, casting a green glow over the terrain. The end had come, and they had lost.
Tynacia fell to her knees, trying to clear her head. She was in the forest, too far from the town square. Where had she been when the queen went down? She stood; her head swam, but she shook it off. She paused, waiting for that familiar feeling, but she couldn’t feel him anymore.
She gasped as something moved behind her. Tynacia turned again, her knuckles turning white as she gripped her staff tighter. The gold ridges dug into her skin. She held her breath when she saw the shadow in the dark—she almost screamed. A snort broke the silence, and she raised her weapon, ready to strike. A twig snapped and a majestic white horse stepped into the clearing. Tynacia sighed, relaxing her grip. “Atlas, you scared me.”
The horse let out a snort from his black snout and ruffled his great wings, tucking them in. Only the trained eye knew the wings were there. Tynacia dropped her staff as Atlas came closer. He nuzzled her shoulder and turned, dropping to his front knees. She sighed and climbed on, positioning herself in front of his wing-joints. He didn’t hesitate, pushing off the ground and into the air. His muscles rippled beneath her as he flew. She sighed. “I guess it’s over, Atlas.” His ears tipped back, listening. “I can’t feel him.”
The great horse shook beneath her and then shook his head; his black mane danced in the wind. It was cold and icy at this altitude; she shivered. They were above the green mist now, and she couldn’t see anything below. “I hope you know where you’re going.”
Atlas snorted, clearly offended. He dropped his head, descending through the mist. He was on the ground before she could react; Tynacia fell off, glaring at him. Atlas tucked his wings and stared at her. “Sorry I offended you.” He tipped his great head and his large wings opened. He took off, leaving her alone in the green darkness. She shook her head and turned.
He had put her in another clearing, this one much larger. A small breeze blew through the trees; the leaves rustled across the ground in different shades of green. There was a pained groan a few feet away, a silver, jewel-encrusted sword lying beside the figure. Her red curls framed her pale face; her chest struggled to breathe. Her legs were turned in ways not humanly possible. Tynacia’s stomach dropped. “NO!”
Tynacia ran to her side, dropping to her knees. The woman opened her eyes, and gave a weak smile. “Tynacia…” Her voice was weak, and she gasped. “I need your help. I don’t have much strength left. I am broken. I’m sending them forward. When you…” She closed her eyes, taking a slow, pained breath. Tynacia swallowed, trying not to cry. “When you get there, I want you to protect them.”
Tynacia shook her head, surprised. “Three hundred years? How do you know…”
“I can see it in your eyes.” Tynacia dropped her head, ashamed. The woman squeezed her hand. “Tynacia, pr…promise me.”
Tynacia nodded, shivering with the pain of it all. “I’ll do my best. That’s all I can promise.”
“That’s all I need. My sword, Tynacia.”
Tynacia pushed her black hair behind her shoulders and picked up the sword. She laid it in her hands and stood up. “I love you, Queen Tira.”
The young queen gave a weak smile and closed her eyes. The silver sword shot a bright beam of light up that broke through the mist. She was leaving her goodbyes to her warriors, her family, her friends.
Ashwin.1725
Tynacia screamed and flipped in mid-air away from the red beam of light. It bounced off of her gold staff as she hit the ground. The forest grass was cold and covered in leaves. She stood quickly, swinging her staff into another light. It flashed and bounced off the yellow metal. There was a loud crack and she ducked out of the way as the large tree next to her snapped and fell, digging into the ground.
She turned, taking in a deep breath. Where had she gone? A twig snapped behind her and she raised her staff. The end lit up, lighting the small forest clearing. No one was there. She turned, and found red eyes glowing in the distance. Tynacia stood, ready to defend herself, her staff raised. She could see nothing but the eyes staring back at her, the multi-colored flashes from above reflected in their evil pleasure. The eyes blinked, and then moved, a small face appearing in the flow of the staff’s light. Tynacia’s heart pounded, and a cold, malicious grin spread wide on the face. She should have attacked, but she was frozen, unable to think. There was a green, blinding flash and the red-eyed face was gone. The silence that followed was deafening. The colored flashes above faded away as a green mist floated higher, casting a green glow over the terrain. The end had come, and they had lost.
Tynacia fell to her knees, trying to clear her head. She was in the forest, too far from the town square. Where had she been when the queen went down? She stood; her head swam, but she shook it off. She paused, waiting for that familiar feeling, but she couldn’t feel him anymore.
She gasped as something moved behind her. Tynacia turned again, her knuckles turning white as she gripped her staff tighter. The gold ridges dug into her skin. She held her breath when she saw the shadow in the dark—she almost screamed. A snort broke the silence, and she raised her weapon, ready to strike. A twig snapped and a majestic white horse stepped into the clearing. Tynacia sighed, relaxing her grip. “Atlas, you scared me.”
The horse let out a snort from his black snout and ruffled his great wings, tucking them in. Only the trained eye knew the wings were there. Tynacia dropped her staff as Atlas came closer. He nuzzled her shoulder and turned, dropping to his front knees. She sighed and climbed on, positioning herself in front of his wing-joints. He didn’t hesitate, pushing off the ground and into the air. His muscles rippled beneath her as he flew. She sighed. “I guess it’s over, Atlas.” His ears tipped back, listening. “I can’t feel him.”
The great horse shook beneath her and then shook his head; his black mane danced in the wind. It was cold and icy at this altitude; she shivered. They were above the green mist now, and she couldn’t see anything below. “I hope you know where you’re going.”
Atlas snorted, clearly offended. He dropped his head, descending through the mist. He was on the ground before she could react; Tynacia fell off, glaring at him. Atlas tucked his wings and stared at her. “Sorry I offended you.” He tipped his great head and his large wings opened. He took off, leaving her alone in the green darkness. She shook her head and turned.
He had put her in another clearing, this one much larger. A small breeze blew through the trees; the leaves rustled across the ground in different shades of green. There was a pained groan a few feet away, a silver, jewel-encrusted sword lying beside the figure. Her red curls framed her pale face; her chest struggled to breathe. Her legs were turned in ways not humanly possible. Tynacia’s stomach dropped. “NO!”
Tynacia ran to her side, dropping to her knees. The woman opened her eyes, and gave a weak smile. “Tynacia…” Her voice was weak, and she gasped. “I need your help. I don’t have much strength left. I am broken. I’m sending them forward. When you…” She closed her eyes, taking a slow, pained breath. Tynacia swallowed, trying not to cry. “When you get there, I want you to protect them.”
Tynacia shook her head, surprised. “Three hundred years? How do you know…”
“I can see it in your eyes.” Tynacia dropped her head, ashamed. The woman squeezed her hand. “Tynacia, pr…promise me.”
Tynacia nodded, shivering with the pain of it all. “I’ll do my best. That’s all I can promise.”
“That’s all I need. My sword, Tynacia.”
Tynacia pushed her black hair behind her shoulders and picked up the sword. She laid it in her hands and stood up. “I love you, Queen Tira.”
The young queen gave a weak smile and closed her eyes. The silver sword shot a bright beam of light up that broke through the mist. She was leaving her goodbyes to her warriors, her family, her friends.
