The Godshards

Prologue

This was the day that I began my long and arduous journey to the Below-Land. I had no idea what it would end up costing me...

                    - An excerpt from Vallena's Journal

Vallena awoke with a start. She glanced around her room, but saw nothing unusual. She exhaled heavily. She must have been having a bad dream. Something about tall dirty people with knifes advancing on her...

Her musings were cut short by a loud knock at the door that made her jump. A voice called through the closed door.

"Milady! You have been summoned to the Master's room. You must report there in ten minutes."

Vallena yawned and stretched. She had tawny skin, deep brown eyes, golden hair, and beautiful white wings. She was an Avariel, a winged elf, and she was very proud of her dove-like wings. She put on her white and gold robes and headed out the door. She walked down the marble corridor and toward the Master's room. It was a golden archway at the end of the corridor that was full of blue mist.

She approached and a voice boomed from no where and everywhere: Who is the Master of All?

Vallena closed her eyes and thought, "The True Master is none other than the Great Dungeon Master, but our master is Toroh and his Octurnic."

Who are the Octurnic? The voice asked.

"The Octurnic are the ones who protect us from utter destruction. The Octurnic includes the Master, the Mage, the Fury, the Minstrel, the treacherous Shadow, and the King's Loyal Servant."

You may enter.

Vallena walked through the portal and entered the Master's study. It was a large room that was almost filled with bookshelves with only a few desks. And sitting at one of those desk was a small old Gnome.

Toroh looked up and said, "Ah, Vallena, you've arrived. I have a very important job for you." He paused. "It is a very dangerous and secretive mission. You must swear to tell no one!" Vallena nodded. "Alright," Toroh muttered, "that will have to do."

He straightened up and his old quavery voice almost broke. "You must go down to the Below-Land. There you must find out the following: Where the Godshards are, how they are being guarded, and how to get them." Vallena looked shocked. "What?" Toroh queried. "The Godshards are crystalline pieces of a god's soul. There are four of them. They have been stolen from the keeper and lost on the Below-Land. You must tell no one of this mission! You must do this alone! The world, nae, the universe relies on you, Vallena!" Here there was a dramatic pause. "Now. You are dismissed." And before Vallena could ask any questions, she found herself back in her room, completely alone.