The Guardian Chronicles - Origins

“I know that we must make the change…I just wish it was not permanent.  What if we went back to Zurkian once the uprising is over?”  She had a pleading look in her gray eyes as she gazed at her husband.  Her skin was not quite as dark as her husband and she was had a decidedly lean, muscular body.

“Sheri’dam my dear…we can never go back.  You know that.  We were exiled for our part in the resistance.  If we do go back, we will go back in our new image and under our new names” he said soothingly to his wife.  He set the book aside and stood.  He gently took Sheri’dam’s hands in his and looked down into her gray eyes.

“I know…it is just hard to turn our backs on those we left behind” she said quietly.  She bowed her head in shame at the thought.

“I would not call it leaving them behind.  We were not given an option to stay.  We will return there if we are ever able to.  Right now we need to go to our brethren in Renshaw.  Their power has waned from what I have learned since their arrival in Tuwa.  Apparently the land is not quite as magical as Zurkian.  That is why I brought some of the magical devices with us before we departed.  I am using those devices in my change so we can retain our power.”  He was holding her at arm’s length with his hands on her shoulders.  He looked tenderly into her eyes and tried to convey his understanding.

“I understand…you are right.  Let’s get on with it then.  I want blonde hair and blue eyes.  Don’t lighten my skin too much though, I do not want to turn red every time I venture outside” she said with a reluctant smile.

“As you wish darling, let’s not delay any longer.  They apparently know we are here on the island” he said with a look over his shoulder.  Thunder shook the walls of the cavern every few seconds.

“Tavin, could we wait to leave for the mainland for another few days?  Going from one conflict to another is tiresome” she said with a pleading tone in her voice.

“Elena, you must remember to start calling me Zaiden” he replied with a meaningful twinkle in his eye.

“Fine, Zaiden, can we wait for a few days before we leave?  I need to get used to our new appearances” she replied haughtily.  She turned slightly and looked at him from the corner of her eye.

“As you wish my lady” he said with a low bow.

***

Elena and Zaiden emerged from a small cave that appeared only momentarily.  They walked hand in hand toward the western beach.  The cave they had emerged from disappeared slowly behind them.  They both had light tan skin, pointed ears, and looked exactly like the Eldar of Tuwa.  They looked at one another with small smiles as they made their way through the underbrush of the tropic forest.  The damage from the storm some days earlier still remained and made their trek more difficult.

After some time they emerged from the dense foliage and debris to look out over the water.  Small branches, palm leaves, and drift wood covered the normally pristine beach.  They both looked off into the distance as though they could see what they were looking for.  Zaiden took his wife by the hand and led her to the water’s edge.  As the warm water soaked their feet, they both took one final look at the tropical island.  It was clear that it was not the forest but their home in Zurkian that occupied their thoughts.

Elena put her slender arm around her husband and hugged him close.  They looked down at their feet as the sand began to super heat.  The sand grew white hot for a few moments and then all that was below them turned to glass.  Zaiden held tighter to his wife as the glass disc rose slowing into the air some ten feet up.  Once it reached that height, it tilted forward slightly before propelling itself and its riders forward.  The velocity with which they were traveling was hard to adjust to.  The glass disc stayed high enough to not hit any waves as it hurtled toward the mainland of Tuwa.

After what seemed hours of traveling at high speeds, the glass disc lowered itself onto the shores of Eolande.  There was no real beach here, just a rugged cliff that met a dense forest at its precipice.  The trees looked peculiar to the new arrivals as the needles had a bluish hue to them.  They were exceptionally tall trees that did not resemble anything from their homeland.  The difference made them sad and happy at the same time.  This land would be very different from Zurkian and they wondered just how different the various races would be.  They had never heard much about the people here because no one had ever come to Tuwa and then returned home to Zurkian.  They were adventurers setting out on a quest they never intended to have.

“How far is it to this Renshaw where the Eldar live?” queried Elena quietly.  The glass disc lowered them to the rocky terrain and then turned back into sand.

“If the information we gathered from those sailors was accurate, Renshaw would be several weeks from here if we walk.  I think that it would be wise to remain on foot and to use well-traveled paths.  We need to learn what we can of this place before we reach our cousins” replied Zaiden.  He looked down at his wife tenderly as they took their first steps toward the cliff wall ahead of them.  They had hope in their hearts that this new chapter in their lives would be less dangerous and have a better ending.

***

Rain started to fall hard and fast as the beasts watched the two tall unknown figures make their way up the narrow path carved into the cliff.  The deluge would have obscured the pair; however, the red wolves of the southlands have exceptional sight.  The wolves growled in anticipation as they made their way along the cliff’s edge.  They were intent on surprising their next meal.

As the red wolves skirted the cliff edge the two tall creatures they were stalking vanished into the forest.  As they rounded a bend at a brisk walk flames erupted from one of the pack.  One of the poor beasts howled in pain and stumbled to the ground.  The rain intensified and the flames were put out within moments.  The wolves came to a stop and looked for the source of the attack.  They had not anticipated a magic assault this close to the home of the guardians.

“We are not easy prey…consider this the only warning to turn around” boomed a seemingly disembodied voice.  There was a commanding quality in the speaker’s voice which immediately caught the wolves’ attention.

“Who are you?  You are in the realm of the guardians and they forbid the use of magic in their lands?”  The beast spoke to the mind of the perpetrator as is the way of the wolf to communicate telepathically.  The wolves’ hair stood on end as they looked for their elusive meal.

“I know not these guardians you speak of and I certainly do not care what their rules are.  We answer to no one.  Now, choose!  Stay and die, or leave in peace” their prey spoke to their minds.  This unsettled the hungry beasts.

“No two legged fire wielder is a match for us!” roared the lead wolf in reply.  The wolves had honed into where they thought the pair was.  They rushed all at once to the spot they thought the voice had come from not realizing that the speaker had communicated to them via telepathy.  This should have been a warning.

As the wolves neared a small clearing they spotted their prey.  They looked like dark Eldar to their eyes and one happened to be a female.  Immediately the beasts directed their first attack at her thinking that she would be the weakest of the pair.  Their lust for blood blinded them to the trick.  As they leapt toward the female, the dark Eldar vanished.  An intense wall of fire sprang to life and had them entirely surrounded.  One of the beasts swiped at the flames with one of its huge paws and it caught fire.  The yowling was deafening.

“I warned you!  Now, let us see if we cannot come to some sort of an agreement.  I do not take pleasure in needless killing; however, I will do what I must.  If you will answer some questions for me about this land, I will set you free.  You and your kind will never attack my kind again as part of this deal.  Or, I can end you all now.  It is your choice.” Zaiden spoke in his calm, commanding voice.

“What is it you want to know” growled the leader of the pack.  He was clearly not happy about being trapped so easily and did not like being dictated to.  However, his desire to live won out.

Chapter 2 - Southlands

Chapter 3 - Chance Meeting

Chapter 4 - The Order

Chapter 5 - Hakru Castle

Chapter 6 - Foundation

Chapter 7 - Belva