DARKNESS

Chapter One

The night was still and silent. An empty dark sky watched over the world as the gentle hush of the wind breathed through the trees. Somewhere in the night a beast bellowed. Even with all the chatter of the forest, the night was still quite. It was almost midnight yet the lights in the village windows continued to glow. Ever since the light stone started fading nearly all the villagers were petrified of the dark. More or less. What lurked in the dark anyway. More and more guards were posted around the streets every night. Life in Cantery was no longer safe. The king had mysteriously disappeared from public view and the villagers were loosing faith. The king was the only human how had ever suggested the idea of slaying the monsters of the dark, first to slay one as well. Rumour has it that the king had given up. Other people say he's perishing with age. The only hope left in Cantery, the light stone. The light stone grew weaker and weaker with every passing moment. The only thing keeping the light stone alive was the elemental stones. Five stones that contained magic from all of the five classes of magic. Light magic, earth magic, soul magic, allusion magic and dark magic...

...It was a cold winter morning. The sun was rising and the streets filled with chatter as traders, merchants and shop keepers as they prepared their stalls for the day. The high mage, Haruga walk through the cold streets. Despite her young age, she was the most powerful human to have ever lived. Haruga was a tall pale woman with long dark brown hair that was tied up into a bun. Her green and golden robe dragged along the ground and her green eyes darted around, glancing at the objects on display in the marketplace. None of which she was looking for. What she needed this fine morning was a rare metal. A mineral with vessel like abilities. Haruga walked passed the orphanage. There was five children playing in the snow in the courtyard. The three boys tossed balls of snow at each other. One on the girls was sitting on a bench, reading. The other sat in the snow. Staring. Staring at Haruga, intently. Her skin was pure white as well as her hair, eyes of red were wide with curiosity. Haruga looked away and continued on still feeling the little girl's stare on her. That day Haruga never found what she needed but instead found what the light stone needed. That night the high mage spent hours upon hours upon hours of studying.  "Where in the name of fuck is that book!" she yelled tossing a book titled: 'poisons of the sun' across the room. Haruga looked up at the towers of books that loomed over her. "I'll die before I find this stupid book." She muttered to herself. Haruga was no longer dressed in her robes but now in a cosy lemon yellow dress. Her eye lids seemed heaver with every passing hour. They were as she soon was lost in deep sleep. However tonight her dreams was unlike her normal dreams. Tonight was different. In Haruga's dream was the little albino girl from before. The girl however was older and dressed in black and purple robes. She stood in the middle of a meadow, surrounded by shadows. Like the girl did in the courtyard, she glared into the soul of Haruga. Haruga noticed that along the shadows, lurked trolls and other monsters, all stalking the girl. The only thing keeping her safe was the sunlight ahead. The girl's eyes had left Haruga's and now glancing around at the beasts that were hunting her, with fear her eyes widened. The shadows started slowly enclosing in on the girl. The girl fell to the floor as if she had given up. Haruga ran to the girl and tried to pull her off the ground but her hands went right through the girl. The girl rolled over and looked at the skies. Her once red eyes became pure black. Suddenly the light disappeared and the shadows swallowed the girl. Haruga jolted awake, gasping for air. Haruga looked out the window of the library to see the sun rising. The high mage gave a sigh of relief. Something shiny caught Haruga's eye. It was the book she had spent the whole night looking for. Haruga swam across the small ocean of knowledge and picked up the thick and heavy book. It's cover was black as the night and was lined along the edges with a gold paint. Several magical stones were incrusted into the cover. Haruga blew the dust of the book and walked over to the table that took up most of the left side of the room. Haruga sat down at the table and open the book. She flipped through the pages at alarming speed until she found what she needed. According to the ancient text, each of the five elemental stones could choose and be wielded by a champion of the light stone. The champions of the light stone could use the elemental stones to balance out the amount of darkness and light in the light stone. However with consequences... it didn't matter. All that mattered was that there was a way to save the light stone from falling into darkness, driving back the shadows. Haruga thought of the little albino girl. Her dream seemed so real, or was it? Fear filled Haruga's heart and her mind was lost in a tornado of thoughts. Even though she didn't know the little girl from before, she still wanted to keep her safe from the dark and dangerous world that she was born in. Haruga placed her head in her hands and let out a yell of frustration. It seemed like all the world's problems were all on her shoulders. Haruga sat there in silence for a few moments thinking on how she was going to execute her plan and how she was even going to preform such a powerful ritual and how the ritual would even work. If Haruga correctly remember the ritual of the light stone's champion was a quick and easy ritual if the light stone could choose anybody. But no, the champion had to be someone with no connections to anything. How in the world was Haruga going to find a human with no connections whatsoever? Haruga thought hard of possible champions. Nothing. The world seemed to stop as the thought hit Haruga. "Orphans..." Haruga grabbed the book and many others and dashed out of the room. Many of the people that Haruga ran past gave her concerned looks as she ran down the streets of Cantery. Haruga tried so hard to remember her mental map of the city. If she remembered the fastest way to the castle was through the markets. Haruga ran around people and houses and skidded around corners. Soon the market was in front of her. The markets as per normal were packed with people. Haruga felt a burning feeling on her feet as she realized she was bare footed while on the snow covered streets. Haruga winced at the pain and just kept running. Running through the market was harder due to all the people who crowded the street. The castle was now in view. Just a few more steps. Suddenly Haruga tripped over a random object. When she hit the ground all her books scattered around her like an explosion on the ground. Haruga quickly picked up all the dropped books. She counted the books. One was missing. Haruga glanced around until she spotted the book. It had skidded across the ice covered ground and landed in the orphanage courtyard. There stood the little girl from yesterday. The girl picked up the book and walked over to Haruga. "I think you dropped this." The girl said. Her voice as hushed and soft, like a kitten. The girl handed the book to the high mage. For a short second the girl's finger touched Haruga's. her hand was warm and smooth. Haruga quickly pulled away. She didn't want to get any form of a connection to the girl. If the King and magic council approved of Haruga's idea then this girl could be a possible champion. Without saying a word she continued onward to the castle. Haruga could feel the girl's eyes on her. The girl was probably extremely curious or a creep. Haruga didn't want to stay to find out. Soon Haruga was at the castle and walking through the halls and corridors. Even in the warmth of the light stone the high mage was still cold. Her feet were red from running bare foot on the snow and ice. Probably no Haruga's best idea. Haruga remembered that she was still in her little 'around the house dress' . Appearance didn't matter now. All that did was that Haruga informed the king of her discovery. Even if the king approved Haruga had no idea in what she needed for the ritual. Also why she needed the help of the magic counsel. Haruga approached the throne room after making her way through the wild twists and terns of the castle. The layout of the castle was set out like a maze. This was so if a troll or a shadow creature got passed the defences, they would probably spend a good hour or two running around like a blind horse. Haruga let out a small laugh as she imagined a troll looking horse running around with no eyes. When Haruga got to the throne room she was instantly stopped at the door by the guards. "Halt!" yelled one. "Who goes there?!" shouted another. Haruga glared at the two bulky men. They had to do this every day. "You know how I am!" Haruga spat back. She hated solders. Yes they had their quirks but in the end magic would do better than a man with a sword at defending the king. "I come here nearly every day you barbaric simpletons!" one of the guards looked at Haruga with a confused look. Haruga sighed with frustration and rubbed her temples. "I request an urgent meeting with the king." The guards opened the door to the throne room to allow Haruga into the dark and muggy room. One day the king randomly shut himself up from the world. No one had seen his face a few months. Now the king would only speak if they were in complete darkness. Haruga walked into the darkness as the doors closed behind her. She kneeled in what she believed was the middle of the room. "Speak." Said the shadows. The king was only recognisable from his voice. His cold, creaky voice. Haruga stood up and did as her king commanded. "Your majesty, I believe I have found a way to save the light stone." The room went silent. "Go on." Spoke the shadows. "I don't know how it will al work. However I've done some research and as you know the light stone and elemental stones are all connected. The elemental stones can bond with a human who has no connection whatsoever meaning that they can vessel the magic of the stones and stabilising the light stone! If I put some more research into the-" the king stopped Haruga with a loud grunt. "How in the world will you ever find a human with no connection mentally or physically. Connections are what make us human. Connections to mothers and fathers, to toys and home. We are all born with connections." "Your point is valid. However I have done thinking into that and I believe orphans are the key." Haruga held her breath. The king said nothing. "Orphans, those of who where orphaned at a young age won't have any parental connections. The orphanage is less of a home then a farm's stables and even if they did have a connection to anything it would most likely be to an object like a toy." Haruga paused, feeling the king's judgment in the pitch black darkness of a throne room. "What of friendships?" he growled. "Most children would have developed some sort of connect to another without a parental figure in order to dull the emptiness of their soul." Haruga was disturbed by what the king had just said. "Friendships aren't classed as connections. If a friend dies or leaves then you can always make the same bond with someone else." The high mage sat there waiting for the king to reply. "And if this plan of yours is to work, how would you expect five little rats to keep an entire city safe from monsters that would kill the children at any chance they got? I don't believe you have thought this over enough. Not only would you put the city in danger from the children's possible failure but as well as the children who shall fail if chosen." Haruga fell deathly silent with disappointment. The king was correct. Why did she ever think this would work? Haruga thanked the king for his time and left. It took Haruga a few moments to august her eyes to the light. Haruga hated the castle. In the throne room (where Haruga spent a lot of her time) it was so dark you couldn't see but in the actual castle it was bright as ten suns due to the light stone. Her eyes felt like they died and came back to life every time Haruga entered the throne room. Haruga was confused on what to do now. Yes the king didn't exactly shoot her plan down but he also did. Haruga had only but one thing left to do, get the magic council on board. If Haruga did get the council on board with her plan then surely the king would say yes. However from experience, Haruga knew this was not going to be walk in the park. The magic council were sort of an inconvenience...