The Lightwielders

Chapter 1: Bride
I felt a sense of gloom in the air. I looked up at the sky, seeing the dark gray clouds, not a bit of blue anywhere as I continued sweeping. I couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding. I would be getting married tomorrow. Then I'd be safe from the curse. My family had been cursed ever since...well, no one could remeber...except perhaps Old Ra. Oh, shoot. I always forget the intro. I'm Flare. My parents named me that because they said I shine so brightly, like a Flare from the sun. Doesn't stop the town boys from teasing me though...Anyway, My family is the Ra family, because we are supposedly descended from the great Sun god, Ra. I consider us lucky that we have no priests here. BACK TO THE STORY. Sorry. (Can we get a reminder for me to stay on topic, producer?) Where were we? Oh yeah! Old Ra, the oldest member of our family. We have no idea how he managed to live to 200...He's my great-great....30-something great-grandpa. The curse always strikes the women of the Ra family on their 20th birthday. Terrible things happen. It's only happened once I can remember when I was really young. Shadows, screaming, hisses, like a giant serpent. A cold chill falls across me as I sweep. I had two weeks until my birthday. I'll be 20...Two weeks until the curse comes for me.

BUT! I'm getting married, and for whatever reason, the curse doesn't take married women...I have no idea why, so don't ask. Footsteps behind me snap me out of my thoughts...great. My soon-to-be-husband. I get married tomorrow. To a pale, black-haired, 25-year-old man named...Far Darkwell. Because he's the richest, eligible bachelor, looking for a wife. Needless to say, in a classic story like so...I was A, not marrying for love, B, I got a bad feeling about him. He smiled as I straightened and turned to face him. It wasn't a nice smile, more...triumphant. Like I was married to him already. Arrogant butthead. "Hello...Far." I said, making an effort not to glare, as usual. "Hello, dear Flare. Hard at work, I see?" he said, still with that smile. I took a couple of deep breaths to stop from slapping that smile off his face. My fingers itched to give him a good right hook to the jaw, followed by a nice left uppercut. He smiled like he knew what I was thinking. His eyes darted to my hand and I saw his eyes suddenly tighten, an expression I knew well. He was irritated, but...was that...fear in his eyes? It was! "Dearest Flare...Honey. Why aren't you wearing your ring?" I gritted my teeth. ''The nerve! I'm not your wife, not yet! I thought, not liking already being called 'Honey'. I imagine you can't wait, to have me, your beautiful, meek little housewife.'' I couldn't help it. My eyes narrowed and I took a step forward. He didn't seem to have noticed my sudden hostility. He was focused on something else...His eyes snapped back to me. "I hardly imagine you'd be very meek, but yes, I do think I'll enjoy it. Having you, Flare Ra, at my every beck and call, forced to do my orders. Yes. I imagine that'll break your...free...spirit nicely." He smiled. Wait a minute...did he...did he..."Yes, I did. Your thoughts are so very interesting, even more so compared to the others." "Stay out of my head!" I hissed at him. "Or? I hardly think it'd be wise to hit your husband." "I'm not yours yet!" I snapped. ''Of course, he wins every argument, reading my thoughts...like now for example. GET OUT!!!! ''I thought. He reeled back, surprise on his face. "How did you do that?!" he snapped at me, anger and surprise the most dominant on his face. He grabbed my arm and I couldn't help it. I reacted instinctively.

My left came up and boom! Left hook. I felt the savagery of the blow. His hands flew up to his mouth as he stepped back. They came back with blood. He glared at me. "You little wench!" he smiled. "Oh...you'll regret that! I can assure you!" he smiled, taking a step toward me. I smiled. "Bring it on!" I turned and ran, my bare feet racing across the grass as I fled. I glanced back and saw he hadn't moved, but I kept running, feeling the air rush through my hair, and I went into the woods. My feet thudded on the dirt as birds chirped around me. I made my way to a small sheltered area and sat down. I listened to the birds and squirrels, admiring the light on the green leaves. I thought back to the confrontation. ''"How did you do that!?" he snapped, angry and surprised. What was he talking about...wait. I feel that presence, didn't realize he was reading my thoughts before but that's probably what it was...I shouted 'get out' at it...right? Did I...Force him out?! Really??? SWEET!!! ''I tried to avoid the whole, 'you'll regret that part'. I took a couple more minutes to relax and then headed back for dinner or something. As I fell asleep that night, I couldn't suppress a feeling that bad things would happen tomorrow. Bad, bad, very bad things.

I stood in front of the mirror and looked at the big, white poofy dress, lace and pearls and...pins. ''Ow. ''I thought, wincing as one stabbed me. "I still don't realize why I have to wear white, not green," I said. "It's tradition, honey, every bride wears white." My mom responded. "You look beautiful." ''Like that helps. ''I flinched, thinking about his nasty, cold lips touching mine at the end of the ceremony. I took a deep breath. ''Blue skies, sunny days, sunshine, warmth, happiness. Happy thoughts, come on, I can do this. Flare Ra. Come on.'' I thought, readying myself. Mom didn't seem to notice my worries as she handed me my bouquet of pale pink and peach-colored roses. Not my choice, of course. We began walking down the aisle. As I felt the presence, I shoved it out. A quick look of annoyance passed over his features before he plastered a fake smile back on his horrible face. I smiled triumphantly at him as we reached the wedding arch. He just glared back. I noticed that his right cheek was slightly swollen from my left hook yesterday. He didn't need Mind-reading to know that I was contemplating making his face match. He smiled at me though, a twisted, wrong smile, and I knew, suddenly, without a doubt, that I COULD NOT marry him, no matter what. Quickly, before anyone could stop me, I drew back my fist and gave him a good right hook to the jaw! Savage pleasure flooded me as everyone gaped. "I will NEVER marry you!" I snapped, standing over him as he had fallen from the blow. I turned and ran, away from my family, my friends, my home, anything and everything I'd known for 20 years, minus a week. The wind streamed through my hair as I kicked off my heels and ripped my dress. My bare feet thudded against the ground and I let myself be lost to the wind, earth, and sky, reveling in the freedom!

Once the sky had darkened, I began to head back, after smearing some mud on the dress so I'd be less visible. I planned to get in, take what I needed and leave. I crept into the house, taking the key from behind the loose brick in our house. As I walked in, I saw a beautiful medallion left on the table. It was a golden sun, surrounded by a dark blue enamel, ringed by a green jade border. It hung on a leather loop, intended to be worn as a necklace. It took my breath away and I reached out to brush it instinctively. There was a note. Dear Flare, It read. ''You may know little about me but in one of my few moments of clarity, I must write this. You must break the curse. Go west, to where the sun dies each day. You must avoid the man you nearly called husband, for he is no mortal man and I fear he is in league with dark powers that we know nothing of. Take this medallion. It has been in our family for ages and it is older than me, but it was said to be passed down by Ra himself. I wish you luck and I hope it protects you on your journey. - Fall Ra. ''I knew it could only be Old Ra. I picked up the medallion and carefully placed it around my neck. it nestled perfectly in the hollow of my neck. ''Made for me? ''I shook my head. Yeah, right. I decided to do as he had said, taking the note with me. I gathered a pack with rations and some clothes and changed into a dress that seemed ideal for traveling. I picked up a pair of earrings my mom had given me, two suns that always felt warm to the touch, golden as well. I was about to leave my room when I grabbed a simple ring, just a silver band inlaid with a swirling pattern of gold and slipped it on my finger. I left that night.

Angry, I kicked a chest and watched it fly to the other side of the huge room. Flare had escaped me and now the right side of my face hurt. I would hunt her to the ends of the earth. I summoned a faithful creature, repulsive to look at, I merely smiled at it's hooked teeth and dark, bristled pelt. "Find her. The one who stinks of the sun god and....the Light." I whispered to it. I followed it to the end of the gardens. It bounded away into the night. Flare had no idea of the power she held. For she was a Lightwielder, the last of her kind. Once she was mine...I savored the thought. "I will find you Flare Ra! I will hunt you down! And then, you will be mine! The Line of Ra shall be Gone, FOREVER!" I swore to the great dark god Faroh. I, Far Darkwell, would never rest until it was so. I grinned into the night.

Chapter 2: Pursuit
Faster. I urged myself on. I had heard something behind me, but I think I may have lost it once I entered the forest...But it might have followed me. I continued running, my footsteps growing swifter as they hit the pine needle-coated ground. Thump-thump, thump-thump, thump-thump. A new sound reached my ears. The sound of steps. The sound of pursuit. I ripped my dress as I ran, the dark green material restricting my legs but now I was able to run faster. A thornbush ripped at my leggings and I sped up, my eyes darting back and forth, looking for a spot, any spot, where I could safely hide. I heard the heavy breathing of the creature now and resisted the urge to look back, knowing it could spell the end if I did. I leaped as high as I could and grabbed hold of a pine tree branch. I swiftly scaled it about twenty meters up then stopped. I counted the beats of my racing heart, trying to slow my breathing. "I ssssmeelll yoooou...I smelll the reeek of Ra!" A screech echoed through the forest. A smell, like rot and death, reached me as a hulking, shadowy shape paced below me. Please don't look up, please don't look up! I silently prayed. It peered around in the gloom and breathed deeply. It hissed and prowled off, continuing the hunt. I didn't dare come down, not now, while it lurked nearby. I looked at the moon and stars, staying as still as I could, cloaked in shadows and silence, and silently prayed for dawn to come quickly.

............2 hours later......................

I carefully climbed down the tree, exhausted from the night. The sky was a lighter gray now, Dawn wasn't far off. I went to investigate some prints left behind by the creature. They were large, clawed paws. As the rising sun touched the prints, they vanished without a trace. "Flare Ra......" My head snapped up. "A curse unbroken, the light shall pay, a toll not given, the dark shall raze." the voice continued, sounding whispery. "Who said that?!" I demanded, looking left then right. I sighed. Just the wind, a girl in a ripped green dress and the forest. The wind grabbed my blond hair, streaming it out of my face. The sun was burning the early morning mist off the forest. It flashed into my dark green eyes and I set off. My shoes squished in the mud as I trudged away from the village, following the sun's path. I was on my way!

Chapter 3: The Quest Begins!
I soon left the forest and came to a road winding through a huge stretch of prairie. Nowhere to hide...I thought. I touched the medallion for comfort and traveled along the road. I hitched a ride with a cart full of Horses. One caught my eye, gazing at me with a spark of interest and intelligence. She had a lovely dapple gray coat and a black mane. "Is she for sale?" I asked the cart driver. "Her? I'm looking to get rid of her, never lets anyone ride her or put a saddle on 'er." The man said with a thick accent. "Course you can have 'er if you want." "How much?" I asked, smiling sweetly. "50 crenz." He replied, smiling toothily at me. "Deal." I pulled out the money and paid him. "And for you, the reins are included. The town up ahead has a good leatherworking shop if you'd like a saddle?" "No, I think I'll be just fine, but if you could let me off there, that'd be great," I replied. We came to the town and I hopped off with my new horse. "Hello there," I said to her. "First things first. You need a name. Mind If I call you Storm?" She snorted. I carefully put the reins on her. I mounted Storm with no difficulty. I waited for her to buck or rear or anything, but she stood calmly and stoically. You aren't expecting me to buck you off, are you? I started. "A little..." I said, guiltily. ''Well, you are a lot better than that old sod who had me before. Kidnapping me, then forcing me to work for him, seriously, what did he expect? I like you though, you're nice. ''"Pardon me, but, are you talking to me?" ''No, I'm singing to that man over there. Of course, I'm talking to you. ''"A sense of humor. Good, I'd hate to think I purchased a horse with no sense of humor." I replied dryly. Storm just snorted at me. "You wanna head west off the road?" I asked her. Sure...

We galloped off across the prairie until Nightfall. I stopped and persuaded the horse to travel just to the edge of a forest. "You're free, now. You can head back to your home and family." ''Thank you. ''Storm replied before galloping into the night. As I stepped into the forest, I paused to let my eyes become adjusted to the gloom, resting my back on a tree. That was when the arrow struck the tree, an inch above my head. "Don't move an inch!" A voice from above spoke. "Karan, no need to be so harsh. She obviously has no idea what's going on." a second voice said, more feminine. "Yeah, the lads agree." A third voice said. The first, Karan, said, "Don't be fooled by her face, just because she's pretty, doesn't mean she's not evil!" A shape dropped down from above and cautiously approached. It was a man with dark brown skin and he held a dagger outstretched. Wisely, I made no move. "Who are you? Why are you here?" He asked. "I'm Flare. Flare Ra." They all gasped as I said this. "Where is the medallion!?" Karan, the one in front of me, said. "This one?" I asked, pulling the medallion from under my shirt. I had hidden it, not wanting to attract any attention to myself or it. Another chorus of gasps from the trees. "My apologies," Karan said. "Please, come join our tribe for the night." I didn't exactly understand but I accepted his hand as he helped me climb into the trees. As torches around the village were lit, I could see that the entire village was in the trees, connected by rope bridges and ladders. "You are the first in generations to set foot here," Karan, the leader, said. "...Why me?" I asked, confused. "You mean...Don't you know?" He asked. "No...?" I asked, even more puzzled. "Ah...Nevermind, We will discuss it after dinner." Karan said in the silence. "Come meet our guest!" He announced as the tribespeople clambered down ladders, leaped across rope bridges, or, in some cases, swung across on vines. The feminine voice I had heard was Karan's wife, Afira. The third voice was their son and heir, Kalvik(Credit to Plactro for the name). He winked at me. "Pleased to meet ya." "Kalvik. Please." Afira said, shaking her head. Kalvik just sighed. We all crowded into their communal feast hall. I was given a place of honor, right next to Karan, his wife and son were on the other side. Karan was discussing how the village worked to me. Some people work as hunters, some work as guards, some work as gatherers or farmers and some are crafters. Crafters make things like baskets, carvings, tools, anything really. Guards watch to make sure that no one discovers our village. Anyone who comes directly in here, or someone we are interested in, will either be a guest or killed once we show ourselves. Hunters, of course, do all the hunting. Farmers farm our limited crops and keep healthy animals. Gatherers collect anything the crafters need, such as wood, plants, leaves or berries. For metal, we generally bargain with a local blacksmith who won't give us away." "This life seems difficult to maintain. Why do you do it?" I cautiously asked. His eyes narrowed slightly. "We were thrown out of our home on the Greenlands, simply because people believed us savages, and thus unworthy of such fertile land." "Wow..that seems really unfair," I said, severely understating it. "No matter. That is far in the past now. Let us talk about you." "Um...okay?" I thought, still a little worried. "We have a prophecy that foretells of a savior, bearing the medallion of the Sun god." "But, what am I your savior from?" I asked, curious. "...We've been having a bit of a...problem-" Karan was cut off by a shout from one of the guards. There was a commotion. "Excuse me," he said with a smile. "I must tend to this." "Of course," I said, bowing my head. As he left, a louder commotion erupted outside. Yelling, screams and the unmistakable clash of swords and the thrum of bows. I stood and ran outside, grabbing a sword I didn't know how to use. As I emerged into the dark forest illuminated by torches, I saw the archers in a line, shooting at a creature on the forest floor, looking straight out of a storybook. It was gray furred, silvery claws flashing at the end of huge paws. It looked roughly equestrian. A mane and tail of pure ebony flickered in the slivers of moonlight. It reared and slashed at the few tribespeoples fighting it with swords. Arrows stuck out of its hide, many of them seemed to be mortal wounds. As I watched, another volley of arrows slammed into it. One struck its spine. It collapsed to the ground. "Quick! While it's down!" I heard a voice cry from the swordsmen. I saw them rush in before stumbling back as the horror rose. The arrow fell from its skin and a small bit of blood like quicksilver dripped out before the wound sealed and it charged at the men. I vaulted the railing of the walkway and fell to the forest floor below, landing in a roll that brought me to my feet. It screamed with rage at the sight of me. I braced to use the sword and it whirled, charging away into the forest. "What was that thing?!" I asked Karan, one of the swordsmen. "Now you know. This is the scourge of our land. Every night a monster comes. Every night, we retreat into our trees as much as we could. I've never seen one retreat." he said, looking at me with a kind of admiration in his eyes. "What was it?" I asked again, my sword hanging limply at my side. "That was what we call the Frajilh or horse." He pronounced it like fra-sheal. "There are three more." Karan continued. "The Cajuli, or the leopard(pronounced Ka-zhjulie), the Areaktil, or the spider(pronounced ah-ree-ack-til) and finally, the much-feared Harzhun(pronounced Har-shun). That is the creature some would call a...dragon. It never visits, but we have heard it roar from the place where the others go." he said, shuddering. "But let us not speak of these things. For tonight we have won a victory! Tonight, we feast!" he replied. We climbed back up and the feast continued tenfold. Instruments were brought out and dances began. Kalvik took me for a couple before I convinced him I was tired. I sat at one of the tables and soon Afira joined me. "Thank you for all you have done, though you have just arrived here." She said, before joining her husband on the dance floor. Finally, all the music quieted down and everyone gathered around Karan. "I gather you all here now to tell you the story of our victory tonight." Everyone quieted down and I had the unsettling feeling of eyes glancing toward me. "As you all know, our guest comes bearing the medallion of the Sun god Ra, exactly as Viridin the seer foretold. She left the safety of the trees and put herself in danger for our sake. She charged toward the creature with a sword she tells me she can't use. Tonight I have seen something amazing. When the frajilh's eyes landed upon her, it turned and ran away." Karan said, making it seem like I was heroic when I thought it was more idiotic. Everyone seemed to look at me with admiration now. "I proclaim her our savior and she should be treated as such, agreed?" The whole village roared its approval. I was lifted on their shoulders and carried to a hut where I was finally left in peace to sleep.

''I screamed in rage as the creature gave its report. No sign of her. I would kill that cursed Flare Ra! I summoned a more powerful beast. "Gather your compatriots. Once you have done so, return to me for your orders." I ordered the Spine beast.''

Shivering, I awoke in a cold sweat. I had just seen what Far Darkwell was up to. I knew he would never rest until I was in his clutches once more. On that happy thought, I let sleep reclaim me once more.

Chapter 4: A Hero Revealed
I woke up to birds singing in the trees and sunlight shining through my windows. I stood and got dressed before heading outside. There were very few people outside, as it was very early in the morning. Kalvik was waiting for me. "Hey Flare," he said, giving me a smile as though I was the best thing in the world. "Where is everyone?" I asked. "Most are sleeping, some are out farming or hunting." I nodded my head and carefully checked that the medallion was around my neck and safe. "So..uh...I was wondering if you wanted to have...a swordplay session?" He asked, seeming to have a bit of difficulty. "Sure, but I have to warn you, I have never picked up a sword before in my life..." I added, a bit bashful. "Ah, that's fine. I'll teach you!" He said, full of life and energy again. "Come on!" he said. I followed him across the rope bridges and ladders until we reached a large platform between trees, shaded from sight by trailing tree branches. "Choose a sword," he said, pointing to a large number of swords on a rack. I tested the balance of multiple swords and finally settled on one that seemed just right. It had a long blade with a groove running down it. Its point was sharp, made for stabbing and slashing equally. The hilt was leather-bound, the pommel was a beautiful shape, similar to a star, with a tiny sliver of something shiny in the center of the star. "Is that starstone?" I asked, amazed by it. It was incredibly rare and incredibly valuable. "You want that sword?" Kalvik asked. "Can I?" "Sure. I find it interesting that you would have chosen a Sticklestad Viking sword. They were used by raiders a long time ago. They fell out of fashion because they needed someone skilled to wield them. The ones that could were incredibly skilled." he added, picking up his own sword from the rack. It was a falchion. Shorter than the blade I held, it had a slight curve near the end. "However, you said you don't know how to use one, so for now, we will be using these." He gestured to wooden swords. "These will leave a bruise but won't kill you or severely injure you," he added. He tossed me a wooden model of the Sticklestad. Kalvik picked up a wooden falchion. "Well. Shall we begin?" he asked. "Sure...?" He showed me the different ways I could attack, block or defend. "Your greatest advantage is speed. You don't have the muscle of power of a man, but you can use that to your advantage, ducking away from his slower blows and delivering multiple fast blows to him. For now, we'll start slow, but gradually increase your speed as we go on." We engaged in mock swordplay. I stabbed at him and he deflected my sword with a twist of his wrist. We clashed wood on wood, again and again. He hit my knee and I soon got hit on the arm. I saw him drawback for a stroke and I brought my sword up. I suddenly had a feel for it. I lunged, ducking through his guard, whirling around to hit him from behind. He blocked every single one, but now, I was on the attack. I slashed and stabbed, parring and dodging as fast as I could. Finally, he called a break. "You did well today. That'll leave a bruise in the morning," he said, rubbing his side. I hadn't even noticed the blow in the pure rush of the fight. "You should probably have those checked out too," Kalvik added, pointing to four or five bruises I had on my arms and legs. "See you tomorrow?" "If you're up for another beating, sure!" I responded. "We'll see..." he said, ducking out. I ate lunch, a simple affair of bread and butter, some cheese and an apple. I spent the rest of the day helping townspeople with various tasks they wanted to be done. I helped out in the fields for a bit before joining the gatherers. We passed a party of hunters heading back with a deer and some grouses. Two falcons were perched on two of the men's shoulders. They all carried bows and skinning knives. I joined the hunters and helped them with the catch. I worked in the kitchen to prepare some of the grouse. Rolling them in flour, chopping greens for a salad, scrubbing and baking some potatoes. I got a sneak peek of the dessert, a frahella(pronounced fra-heal-ah.), or a berry cream pie. It had berries decorating it, cream coating every inch of the otherwise golden brown cake. It had three levels, like a wedding cake. The first level was blueberry, the next was strawberry and the final small top one being raspberry! It smelled heavenly. I went back to work soon after the cooks rushed off to let the cream cool and settle. Too much heat would make it drip off and slough off the cake. I helped set the tables and soon heard the bell ring for dinner. Tribespeople slowly trickled in from the fields, finding their preferred seat and sitting with their families. I sat with Karan and his family again and we discussed the village once more. I joined the watch outside, waiting for a creature to show, but when our shift changed, there had been no sign. As I rested that night, I thought maybe the tribe was safe now. Little did I know I was wrong. Very, very, VERY wrong.

The next three days passed without any particular events happening. I practiced swordplay with Kalvik in the morning, learned balance and grace, all while getting stronger. It came in the form of aches and soreness, but on the fourth day, I noticed my legs and arms were slightly larger than they had been. I got up and saw Kalvik waiting outside, as usual. We went to the arena but this time, he handed me the real sword, not the wooden practice sword. "I figured it was time to up the game a bit," he said, smiling. An hour later, I stood over him, sword lightly balanced on the tip of his chin. "I think I win," I said, smiling back. I stepped back and allowed him to rise. "One last thing. Only give your opponent once chance. One chance to surrender. ONLY ONE. Understand?" He said, suddenly very close. "Yes, but-" "ONE chance." he snapped, cutting off my reply. And that was when I stepped back. "One chance." I agreed, smiling sweetly, knowing what he was leading up to. "I think our session is over for the day," I said, picking up my sword, scabbard and leaving the arena. He gazed after me with a disappointed look in his eyes. ''Not my type. Neither am I his. ''I thought to myself. We had become close friends, but that was it. We had reached agreement on that. For now. Nonetheless, I continued on toward the guard outpost to test out some skills against other opponents. That way, I wouldn't become accustomed to one style of fighting. I fought against Jomar and Frel, two members of the guard. I defeated both happily. I took up a position on the guard for a bit before heading to lunch. I worked in the kitchen for the rest of the day, hoping to improve my cooking skills. I had dinner with the rest of the tribe. Kalvik got up to join the guard. That was when the alarm sounded.

I pulled my sword out and rushed to see the trouble. Kalvik stood alone outside, facing a monster. The guards lay behind it, bundled up. I could tell they were already gone. It was the Areaktil, the giant spider. Its pincers clicked and whirred and the fangs dripped a milky-white venom. It's 8 dark, beady eyes locked on to me. With a swipe of its legs, it knocked Kalvik aside and reared over me. I raised my sword as it scuttled around me. It lunged, fast and quick. I slashed my sword in an arc, sensing where it would be and that was when it screamed. An unearthly howl that echoed of rage and pain. It paused and I could see dark quicksilver blood flow from where it's leg had been. I knew then, suddenly, that I could beat it, as long as I was fast and determined. ''One down, seven to go. ''"Come on then you great ugly!" I shouted at it in a show of bravado. "Let's dance, shall we?" It lunged again and I noticed some of the tribe watching with Wide eyes as we began to fight, one lunging, then the other. Attack and counter-attack, stab, then block. It leaped forward and I rolled under the blow, coming right under its belly. I lashed my sword at its legs before planting my foot and stabbing directly upward. I felt no resistance as my sword pierced its flesh, like a knife through butter. It screamed once before dissipating like a shadow on the wind, leaving no sign it ever existed. The bounds holding the guards fell away and also dissolved, the clouded fog over their eyes lifted and they stumbled, alive, into their loved ones. "Thank you." One guard said tearfully. "Were it not for you, we would have been devoured, our bodies powering that monstrous creature. Thank you." He bowed. All the guards fell to their knees and bowed before me. I smiled and helped him to his feet. They all stood, relieved I wasn't lording over them. I happily smiled at the guards and everyone burst into cheers, calling for another feast. I politely made my excuses and retired to my bed. As I did, I noticed a burning sensation and frantically grabbed at my chest, pulling out the medallion as I did so. The second it was off my skin, I felt a cool sense of relief. It was still uncomfortably warm, but I had no time to puzzle over it. The second my head hit the pillow, I was out like a light.

Chapter 5: The Last Lightwielder
As I woke that morning, I tried to stand. Unknown to me, my legs had apparently suffered from the battle. They buckled and I went down, faceplanting. "Ow....." I slowly stood and managed to take a couple limping steps forward. Once I got out the door, a tribesperson helped me to the healer's hut. As I lay down, I thought about last night. ''What were you thinking? You can't kill a monster!'' One part of my brain said. ''EXCEPT I DID! a'' different part argued back. ''I can't believe I did that. Hey, wait a second...What about the medallion? Why did it burn last night? It's never done that before....''I thought endlessly to myself, utterly confused as to why it would do that. In the short amount of time I'd had it, it felt like a friend that I'd come to know and trust..''.But it burned me! ''I would have to think about this later. I pulled it out and noticed on the silver backing, there was an inscription in elegant, flowing script. ''As darkness seeps across the land, the final spark flees to the west, to meet it's foe in a final battle. The light must not go out. ''A healer came back in and carefully bandaged a gash on my leg, putting some salve on it first. "You should be good in a day or two!" she said. "However, you do have a concussion. I suggest you rest." "Thanks." I said, struggling to stand and somehow miraculously managed to walk back to my hut. I took out my sword and polished it off, sharpening it and oiling it. While doing that, I noticed someone had given it a name, inscribed along the blade. It was called the Sunburst. For the rest of the day, my meals were brought in and I read, ate or slept. Afira came in and showed me how to sew/mend the rips in my clothes.

---More coming soon!---