I woke up inside the hut in the Ainmithe village, laying in my hammock. The air was very humid, the sun has not even risen yet because the trees were so tall and dense. It was still fairly dark out. I sat up and looked around the room, everyone else was still asleep. Such a peaceful morning that would surly lead to much pain and violence. But it was all for the greater good of this world.
I walked outside to find most of the Ainmithe already awake, they were all gathered around a giant fire already eating. Gouna turned around and saw me.
"Come here and eat with us Raina bird." She said holding out food to me.
I smiled and gladly took some of the food she offered me and sat down next to her.
I ate the food, that was mostly a mixture of different fruits. I saw Fidi sitting on the other side of Gouna.
"How are you liking it here? Would you like to explore the rest of this world?" I asked her.
She looked around first, then looked at me. "I actually quiet like it here, I do not wish to leave. I am very happy here, and I do not want to go back to my village." Fidi told me.
I was shocked. "Wow really. Okay then, it's your choice. But you should tell Asimi, she might have to tell your father."
She looked down. "That is the reason why I am staying. I am not happy in my village because of my father. I do not want to rule when he is gone, I do not agree with his choices. I want our people to be able to travel this world and to see it's people, not fight them."
"Then you should go back to rule. You could change that, you can change the rules and lead your people to believe that." I told her.
She looked at me. "Maybe one day. But I need time to think." Fidi said.
Gouna patted her on the back. "Do not worry fish girl, my village will take good care of you. When you do leave, come back and bring your entire village, we will celebrate and have enough food to feed them all for a grand welcoming." She said laughing.
"Do not talk like it will actually happen so easily." Fidi said.
Gouna frowned, then Fidi giggled.
I smiled at them.
"Hey, good morning Raina." Tarra said as she sat down next to me.
I looked over and saw everyone else was awake, they all sat down after Tarra.
"Mornin everyone, did you sleep good?" I asked.
"Yeah, those hammocks are so comfy." Kary stated.
"They remind me of the beds back at my kingdom. I think they're made of leaves." Amber said.
"Why didn't you wake us up Raina, I could have slept the whole day away." Luke worried.
We all laughed at him.
"Well, you all looked so comfy, and the sun wasn't up yet" I told them.
They smiled at me.
"Would you be surprised if the sun would grow darker?" Someone spoke.
Our smiles fell, and we all grew quiet.
I turned around to see Asimi and Aurum.
"What do you mean by that Asimi?" I asked worried.
"Aes grows weaker as the Dark lord grows stronger." Asimi told us.
"His powers are from the sun, his soul is linked to it." Aurum said.
"Just like I am the moon, and he is the stars." Asimi stated.
I stood up and looked down. "I'm sorry Asimi, I didn't know. I should be taking things more seriously, considering the war on the horizon."
"I should be the one who is sorry. I should be thanking you for all you have done for my siblings. I did not tell anyone of my struggles, and I did not dare try to find them on my own. Even when my soul was weak from my sacrifice for the barrier to protect this land."
Aurum placed his hand on her arm. "It is okay sister. I know you were afraid of the unknown. Raina is just trying to keep everyone's spirits up. We all deal with things differently."
"I am just worried for Aes. He has been down there in the darkness for far too long." Asimi said.
"I promise Asimi. We will get him back, and we will vanquish the dark lord and free this world from darkness for as long as we live on." I told her.
She looked at me and smiled. "Thank you."
Gouna walked up to us. "Make sure you all eat before you leave. You need your strength to fight."
We all sat down and finished eating our breakfast before we got ready to leave, grabbing our weapons and making sure our armor was on tight. We walked to the other edge of the forest. Fidi and Gouna came with us to say goodbye.
"Be safe out there." Fidi told us.
"We will." I nodded to her.
Gouna waved goodbye, then we went through the rocky passage. There were vines and moss growing on the rock walls. A thick mist appeared so there was no sunlight. The trees started to disappear. We continued to walk down the path.
"Man, this place is creepy." Kary stated.
"I don't think we're even close yet." Amber said.
"To think some place so dark and evil could be so close to the most innocent people." Tarra said to us.
"Why does everything have to hide in the fog, so you can never see anything coming." Luke said looking around.
"I do not think this is fog." Aurum stated.
"It's defiantly not mist either." I told them.
"It is smoke, it rises up from the trenches." Asimi told us.
"Now that's even more scary!" Kary cried out.
"Shhhh... Kary be quiet, you don't know what's sneaking around out here." Luke told her.
"Don't say that, you're gonna scare her even more." Tarra said.
"Too late." Kary said wide eyed.
I sighed and placed my hand over my face. "You guys..."
"Remind me, why did we bring children here in battle?" Aurum asked Asimi.
"Do not doubt them. They are the best warriors here in the land." Asimi told him.
Then something shuffled above us and caused small rocks to tumble down.
"Eeek!" Kary said jumping into Tarra.
"Ugh! Kary get off, you're heavy!" Tarra protested.
"Is it the Famorians?" Luke asked.
"Oh no..." Amber worried.
"Everyone calm down." I scolded them.
Aurum raised an eyebrow. "Best in the land?"
"You would have to see them in battle." Asimi stated.
"We will see." He answered.
The rocks cleared up around us into an opening as far as the eye could see in the thick smoke. We continued walking until we saw giant trenches cutting into the earth. We walked around them.
"So, how do we know which is the right one to go in?" I asked.
"Trust me you will know, just listen." Asimi told me.
"Alright." I said focusing.
We continued to walk further in the dark smoky land, until we heard this deep rumbling noise. The closer we got to the giant trench the louder the sound became. The ground was shaking as we stood at the edge of the crack in the ground.
"I guess this is it, the entrance. This must be where all the Fomorians come from. Where the Fomorian lord is, and Aes." I stated.
"This is where they are keeping all of the Aiseiri..." Asimi told us.
"We can not wait any longer, lets go in. There is a path over there that leads down the side of the trench." Aurum says.
"Okay, lets go." I say looking at everyone.
We form a line and walk down the path, quietly sneaking in through the trench. Everything grew dark around us, as the daylight was blocked out as we were going down the tunnels. There where many different tunnels going in all different directions. Asimi lead the way, she turned down a tunnel that had an orange glow reflecting on the walls.
"So, where are the Fomorians?" Luke whispered.
"How are we not getting attacked right now?" Tarra asked.
"They must be getting ready for battle. News might have gotten out about what Jira has done." Asimi told us.
"Well it's nice. I didn't feel like fighting anyways." Kary joked.
"We have to stay quiet, there could still be some lurking around. There could be guards." Amber said.
"Your right. They won't let us in so easily to free all of the Aseiri." I told them.
Suddenly I saw a shadow move on the tunnel wall. We all stopped walking. It was a Fomorian. Kary raised her bow. The Fomorian was slowly getting closer. Kary crouched down and went to the other side of the tunnel. She raised her bow and pulled the string back. As soon as the Fomorian came around the corner Kary let the light arrow fly and the Fomorian fell down to the ground before it knew what hit him.
Kary sighed lowering her bow. "Guess I was the one that had to do it."
"Nice one Kary." I said giving her a thumbs up.
"You and Asimi could work together so you can snipe any of them before they see us." Amber told her.
"Great idea." Kary smirked and gave a thumbs up back.
"I will do what I can." Asimi held her staff up.
We walked further in the tunnels until they turned into walls. There were many walls and walkways leading to huge rooms full of fire and lava. There were numerious Fomorians walking around. Luckily they were further away so we easily hid behind columns and in small rooms and waited until they passed. We took one more turn until we saw a huge room. The ceilings were so vast as we looked up, we had to strain our necks. Ahead of us there were a giant set of stone doors, with two tall and massive looking Formorians posted outside the doors. They held their weapons ready in front.
"Kary, think you can take them out?" I whispered.
She peeked around the corner, readying her bow with two arrows.
"Yeah, I'll try a trick shot." She replied.
She jumped out from the wall and rolled into the middle of the room. She pulled the bow back with wind surrounding the arrows, then she released. Sending the arrows flying at sonic speed right at the Fomorians. The arrows hit their marks dead on, then their bodies both slid down to the ground.
"Heh heh yeah, two in one shot!" Kary cheered.
"Nice!" Luke cheered with her.
"That was cool Kary." Amber stated.
We all walked up to Kary and waited by the doors. I looked up. The doors were sealed shut.
"It looks like they are made of stone... Tarra, do you think you could open these doors?" I ask her.
She walks up to the giant stone doors, cracking her knuckles.
"Sure, this should be easy." She said grinning.
Tarra slams her hands on the doors, cracking them. Then she wedges her hands in between the doors. It starts to glow green as she pulls them apart. Everything started to shake as the doors slowly opened. Eventually they came to a stop, she stepped back shaking her hands and dusting herself off.
"Wasn't so hard. I could have just smashed the doors down, but it would have been too loud." Tarra joked.
I patted Tarra on the shoulder. "Sorry, still cant let you go busting down doors."
We all walked through the doors. The rooms was incredibly dark, it was even bigger than the entrance. There were stone columns that looked like it went on forever, there where holes in the walls with what looked like vases were placed in them. The only light source was in the center of the room, a small orange glow could be seen. It was hanging down from the ceiling, chained up. It was a person.
"Aes?!" Aurum questioned.
His face was full or horror. He bolted towards the center of the room.
"Wait! Aurum be careful." Asimi warned.
We all ran after him. He stopped a little ways away from Aes, we caught up to him. I looked up. It looked like there was a giant smoke stack above him, where smoke would come out. I looked down at the ground, there where dried up pools of molten lava.
"What did they do to him?" I wondered.
Aes had his eyes closed, he didn't move or say anything. He had dark orange hair, and bronze armor, with red feathers.
Aurum shook with rage.
"They, were using him as a forge... To melt their metal and light their fires. To make weapons for their war!" He turned around to look at us.
Asimi looked sorrowful.
"Please, help me get him down. We have to help him, and release our people." Aurum told us.
"Everything's going to be okay now... That's what we're here for. We just have to act carefully." I tell Aurum.
He looked down and nodded. "I understand... Thank you Raina, for helping us all. We couldn't have done with without all of you."
I nod in agreement. Then I turned to Luke.
"Could you help Aurum cut down the metal chains?" I ask.
Luke nods. "Of course."
Luke and Aurum fly up to the chains, they both get their weapons out and cut them. Asimi flies up and catches Aes as he is released. She slowly brings him down to the floor. The rest of us get closer. Luke lands then rushes over along with Aurum who goes to his side.
"We have to heal him, quickly!" Aurum says.
"Do not worry brother. Luke is a healer." Asimi tells him.
He looks at Luke with urgency, then he nods.
"I can help him." He says.
Luke hold out his hands, they start to glow yellow. It covers Aes's entire body, and goes through his heart. He still doesn't move.
We start to get anxious.
"Come on Aes, you have to wake up." Asimi says, holding his hands.
"Brother, we're finally here for you... You're safe now." Aurum tells him.
Luke looks at them worried. "I'm not sure how long this is going to take."
"Don't give up, I know you can do it Luke." I encurrage.
He smiles then closes his eyes, concentrating. The yellow light glows even brighter, creating a beam of light that envelopes his entire body. A pillar of light shoots up from Aes, it surrounds all of us. Then the light slowly fades away.
"Is he alright, did it work?" Asimi asks.
Luke looks down at his hands. "I didn't stop, the light just went out..."
Everything goes silent. I look at Aes. I see a very dim light. It starts to shine out from his heart, then the corners of his eyes.
"Wait, look." I say.
Aes closes his hands around Asimi's. His eyes slowly open. Everyone gets closer.
"Aes, you're, awake. You are okay..." Asimi says smiling, with tears in her eyes.
She hugs him.
Aes looks confused.
His voice cracks. "Wha-what is going on.... Wait, Asimi?"
"Yes, Aes it is me. Your sister, and Aurum, he is here. We are here for you Aes, we are both okay." Asimi says crying.
Aurum smiles.
Aes hugs her back. "I can not believe it. You both made it out, you are both okay. I am so glad, I was so worried."
"We should be the ones worried about you. Everything you have gone through here... I will make him pay for what he has done to you!" Aurum says getting angry.
"Brother, I would never want anyone else to go through what I have. I would give my life to save you both." Aes tells him.
"The last time I saw you... You were rushing into battle, to try and save us all. I thought, we had lost you." Tears spilled down Aurums face.
Aes hugs him.
Aurum was shocked, but then he hugged back. Tears in his eyes. Asimi hugs them both. They embrace for awhile before letting go. Aurum steps back.
"I need your help, can you stand?" He asks.
"Yeah I think so..." Aes says.
Asimi and Luke help him stand up. He wavers back and forth but then he stands still.
"We brought the sword. So that it can be reforged by our fire and light, so that we can finally defeat the Fomorian lord." Aurum tells him.
Aes looks at him worried, but then nods.
I walk up to them and take the cloth off of my back and unwrap the broken sword. I hold it out to them. They both take a piece.
Aes looks at it. "Is this the same sword, why does it look different?" He asks.
"Another person took the sword as their own. After we thought we defeated the Fomorian lord long ago, it was lost in a tower and then it was found. It's form changed to darkness, then it was broken." Asimi tells him.
Aes looks back up startled. "How long has it been? How long have I been down here?"
Aurum looks at Asimi, then back to Aes. "Almost a thousand years..."
He looked sadened.. "Well, it dose not matter anymore. Let us just reforge the sword so we can free our people and end this war for good."
Tarra walks up to them, she takes out the Radiant light from the bag on her hip. It's back to normal now, and is glowing brightly.
"Here, this is supposed to forge with the sword. So it's strong enough to kill the Fomorian Lord." She hands it to Aurum.
Aurum nods then he holds the sword out, Aes holds onto the other half. He starts to glow a dark orange, he holds his hand over the blade's metal. It starts to glow as well, they push the two pieces together. The light glows brighter, then Aurum glows gold. A bight light appears in the swords handle then he places the Radiant light inside. Then a blinding white light flashes out of the sword, and a shock wave shoots out of it. It travels throughout the room, breaking all of the stone urns. As the light dims the entire rooms starts to shake, wind flies around the room carrying the ash.
"We should move, our pressence here is known now." I say.
Aurum looks down at the sword. It has a golden color with writing down the spine.
"We should hurry." Luke says.
We all bolt out of there as fast as we could, the ash storm was following us. Going back outside to the sky. We keep on running through the tunnels, past the now awake Fomorians. Then they started chasing us.
"This isn't good, we woke up the hive!" Kary shouts.
The Fomorians start shrieking, as they grow in numbers, all tearing after us.
"We're almost out!" I shout.
Asimi and Tarra were helping Aes run, Aurum was leading the way. Holding the radiant sword.
Kary shoots her arrows out behind us, hitting the Fomorians. Amber and Luke shot magic attacks at them. I was In the back blocking attacks and slashing them with my sword.
We finally make it out of the tunnel and into the trench.
"We made it!" Amber yells.
But then something crashes down in front of us, blocking the way. The smoke and ash clears. Revealing the Dark Lord himself. He looked very pissed off. All of the Fomorians blocked the entrance back into the tunnels behind us. They stood there watching. His gaze was intense. The fomorian lord's eyes glowed red from within his dark armor.
"So, you thought you could just stroll into my territory and steal right from under my gaze. Now you shall pay for your foolish actions... You think you can win with that useless weak sword boy. You better think again, I have been gifted unimaginable powers from the darkness I posses. And, you will remember my name for the rest of history as you all become my slaves. I will wipe out the last of the Aeseri race. In the name of Mortem!" He stands there towering over us, holding his giant war hammer tightly in his grip.
The ash was still streaming out from the tunnels, flying past us up into the air. It was beginning to swirl around in the sky, turning into an ash storm. Eventually, the Aesiri will all be reborn again.
I worriedly look around at everyone, they all stood ready with their weapons drawn. Aurum walked up to face Mortem.
"Aurum!" Asimi cried out.
Aurum raised the radiant blade.
"Do you think I care about any of that garbage that spews from your retched mouth! You will pay for everything that you have done to my people, and my family! The prophecies have told of this day since the beginning of time. That you would die by this sword, by my hand... You were scared and jealous, you killed everyone and took the sword for yourself! Now prepare for your end, I will wipe your darkness off of this planet for good!" Aurum yelled.
Aes looked at him in shock.
Mortem started to growl.
"You are so foolish to think that you can kill me, puny child! If you think you have a chance to stand against me, then you shall meet your end!" Mortem shouted, then he raised his giant war hammer up into the air.
He was intimidating, at lest twelve feet tall.
"Look out!" Aes screamed.
He ran over to Aurum and pushed him out of the way.
The war hammer came slamming down into the ground, it created a shock-wave and a crater in the ground. Sending us all up into the air, flying out of the trench. We all landed back up on the grounds surface.
I sit up dazed and confused. I see everyone else slowly getting back up. In the distant horizon I could see thousands of Fomorians. Preparing for war, with the Dark Lord Mortem leading them.
I look around worried.
"Where is Jira? We really need her help right now." I say.
Luke walks over to me and holds out his hand.
I take it and stand up.
"Don't worry, she'll be here soon. I know it." He tells me.
Everyone else stands up and comes over to stand by my side.
"Anyone who is a light user can wield the Radiant sword. Just in case something bad would happen. At any cost, we need to take down Mortem." Asimi tells us.
Aurum was still holding the sword. "Aes, I would want you to use this. You are more worthy than me. But, I was just worried that you might be too weak to fight."
Aes places his hand on his shoulder. "No. I am sure that you are the one who is supposed to wield that sword. You are stronger than I am now." He says laughing.
"Are you certain brother?" Aurum asks.
"Yeah, I am sure." Aes says smiling.
We all turn and look at the army in front of us. Standing in a line together, raising our weapons.
"Don't give up. Don't surrender to them, just keep on fighting. No matter what happens. Keep on going until the end." I tell them.