Crown of Shadow

Chapter 1

Elisia bent down near a a dark red flower her long green cape sliding across the leaf strewn forest floor. She reached her hand out and inspected the roots running her fingers over the bumps and grooves of the flower. Suddenly a twig snapped and Elisia spun around but saw nothing. After one more quick glance around the forest she continued her work. Suddenly a figure in black pounced apon her from a nearby tree shoving her to the ground. Elisia screamed and shoved the attacker off only to realize as the strangers hood came off revealing a tossled red head that it was Saleyah.

"What do you think your doing?" she said angrily rounding on the girl and pointing to the red flower behind her that was now all smushed. "I was going to collect that!"

The young girl laughed and jokingly replied, " I got you that time Elisia! You should have seen your face! She started laughing clutching her stomach. It was priceless!"

Elisia frowned and shoved Saleyah quite angrily to the ground. "What is it?" She said knowing that it was not yet lunchtime so Saleyah must have come here for a reason.

Saleyah smiled and quickly replied, "Roy sent me."

"What! Roy?", Elisia said in surprise then blushed and quickly turned away. Elisia had had a crush on Saleyah's older brother Roy for as long as she could remember and definetly didn't want Saleyah to tease her about it.

Saleyah laughed and shook her head then replied, "Yea he said he had something important to tell you." She said with a quick wink and a nudge.

Elisia blushed again then reached out and grabbed her basket which was stuffed with other flowers and continued to follow along with Saleyah. The two friends had known each other for ages and Saleyah was only a couple months younger then her friend, yet they felt like sisters.

When the pair had finally reached the town of Lunish some fifteen minutes later Roy was already waiting for them and seemed exceedingly excited. He ran forward and clasped Elisia's hands. "It's happened!" he said joyfully.

"Whats happened? Tell me!" She said eagerly looking into Roy's eyes for the awnser.

He smiled and shook his head making his shaggy brown hair fall into his wild hazel eyes. "Fine I was supposed to keep it a secret for a little longer but I just can't. You have been appointed as the new town herbologist if you want the position." He said grinning.

"What !!!!" she said astounded. "What about Linoth?"

Linoth was the elderly herbologist who had taught her so much and she wouldn't be able to bear it if something happened to him.

"Don't worry Linoth is fine he's just retiring." Saleyah said with a grin.

"But Im only seventeen!" Elisia said in protest.

"Stop complaining and be happy!" Roy said rolling his eyes as he spun Elisia around so that her long brown dress whirled about her.

She smiled and nodded. "Your right. I'm going to go tell my dad!" And with that she gave them both a grin and hurtled down the street.

Saleyah beamed and hugged Roy tightley then glanced up and slyly said, "You know Roy, that would have been the perfect chance to kiss her."

Roy shoved her away and sighed. "I know I just can't do it. I look at her and I freeze up."

Now it was Saleyah's turn to sigh. "Well let's go home and work on that." but as the two made their way up the street something behind them exploded.

Saleyah started to turn but Roy instantly shoved her behind a building to make sure that there would not be another blast. He heard people screaming and children crying as they all ran away from the explosion. But Saleyah looked up and with fear in her eyes said one word. "Elisia."

Immediatly Roy turned away and ran toward Elisias's house which now was in ruins. He franticly staggered around then realized that his head had started to get fuzzy and that it was getting hard to breath. This was no ordinary smoke. He had just spotted Elisia's unconcious body and was about to yell her name when his body gave out. But just before he sank into total darkness he spotted a figure he could barely make out scooping up Elisia's body and walking away.