Rune Keeper

            PROLOGUE

Celeana tilted her head back, her silky white head lifting up to the light of the full moon as she called to her pack. As the haunting sound drifted up to the stars, the silhouettes of white-furred Wolves emerged from the dense foliage of the darkened forest, crystal-blue eyes gleaming. Celeana paused for a moment, allowing the scent of the cool night air to fill her nostrils, the wind ruffling her fur. Then, huffing she continued to lead her pack through the dark trees a few moments more before arriving at a sizable clearing.

A pond teeming with bright, lively fish reflected the night sky in a corner of the grove, while lush flowers bloomed freshly, adding a silent beauty to the quiet scene. The breeze ruffled peacefully through the night air, rich new smells tickling the Wolves' noses. What dominated the scene though, were the elleven stone columns rising in a circle in the center of the grove. In the circle's middle was an enormous Moonstone. Shining silver with ethereal light, it bathed the columns in silver luminescence, illuminating the intricate symbols carved into them.

As the Wolves passed into the clearing, the pack halted respectfully at the edge of the circle; stopping right behind the column engraved with a howling Wolf, it's head thrown back in a mournful song.
Without the companionship of her packmates, Celeana crossed through the line of columns, shivering slightly as she felt the immense waves of magic rolling off the stones. Stopping at the edge of the Moonstone, she laid down beside it and waited.

                                                                         ...
Next to arrive were the dragons, bearing down from the star-filled sky on outstretched wings, each spanning the distance of a city block. Thick-armored hides glittered with scales on every beast; each one bigger than a house, with wicked teeth, curved claws, and jagged spikes snaking from the middle of the back all the way down to their barbed tails. Their bright amber eyes glowed with fire. Each beast carried a powerful scent of brimstone.

Upon reaching the forest floor, the dragons all adopted a human form to be more accommodating towards the smaller clearing. Every dragon still retained their amber eyes though, glowing like hot embers. The female dragons were all tall and stern, with flowing scarlet-red hair. The males were all strong and stoic-looking, with russet hair and sharp features.

One siver-scaled dragon winged his way in front of his tribemates, changing as soon as all four legs touched the ground. Unlike the other dragons though, this one maintained the silver of his scales in his hair color, and his eyes gleamed brighter and fiercer with fire light. He strode confidently up to the Moonstone, passing the column marked with an angry red dragon belching fire into the heavens. He didn't even flinch as the column blasted him with red-hot sorcery.

"Star Catcher," Celeana greeted warmly, rising to greet her friend. Star Catcher nodded at her, then took his place by the Moonstone.

                                                                            ...

From the pond in the grove's corner emerged the nereids. They swirled gracefully out of the water, giggling and whispering to one another cheerfully. Each water maiden was clothed in blue garments that swirled and rippled like water, their skin was tinged the lightest blue, their chestnut hair cascaded in waves down their backs, their cheeks were fair and rosy, and their bright eyes sparkled with merriment. They stepped lightly, seeming to dance rather than walk.

From the plants and trees, dryads emerged.  They were mirror images of their lively cousins, but their skin had a light chestnut hue rather than blue. They were more refined as well, holding their heads high, adding more height to their already towering frames. They drifted slowly across the grove, a refined aura surrounding them as they gazed disdainfully at the nereids' actions.

Sighing, the lead dryad joined her fellow nereid leader as they stepped into the circle, staggering slightly as the columns with a willow tree and a towering tsunami blew a shatteringly powerful wave of energy into them. The nereid, retaining her grin, playfully shoved her cousin.