Dawn Over the Land

Chapter 6

StoneHill Castle was not very big. It was about the size of a two story house in height. There was a kitchen, a dining hall, and a throne room. It was very homey. Lark assumed that it was small because King Quartz didn't have any children or a wife.

King Quartz was a very nice man. He was about 4'7 with short, black hair that was coming out because he was 63 years old. He was very pale due to staying inside most of his life because he was allergic to sunlight. His eyes were brown but glassed over because he was pretty much blind. He had very powerful earth powers and used them to see through his feet. When Lark and Leafla asked him for help he immediately complied and offered them a warrior named Jade to continue with them. Coincidentally, Queen Riptide of the Water Domain was there at the same time, and she sent the warrior Ripper, a very dashing young warrior.

Queen Riptide was 23 years old and beautiful. Her hair was very long and wavy, colored in all shades of blue. She was 5'5, tan from the sun, and had blue eyes with shades that ranged with her emotion. She had really powerful water jet powers and could communicate with sea creatures. Jade was a stubborn, hardheaded 17 year old with green eyes that she was named for. She had mid-length brown hair and scars all over her body from fights. She was 5'1 but didn't let that stop her, as she was "the most promising young warrior of her age." She could manipulate rock into weapons. Ripper was 19 years old with dark blue, choppy hair. His eyes were the same shade as his hair: blue, dark blue. He was relatively tall, standing at about 5'6 and very handsome. His powers had to do with sea creatures, as he could communicate with them and morph into them. Lark could tell Leafla didn't like Ripper as soon as they met him.

"What's up? I'm Ripper. The best of Water Domain, who're you?" Ripper said.

"Well, I'm Lark and this is Leafla," Iris replied, pointing to both of them as she said their names, "This is Jade. It's nice to meet you."

"Yeah so nice," Leafla and Jade said at the same time. They looked at each other in surprise but then smiled as if they shared a secret.

"So I'll be traveling with a bunch of damsels?" Ripper smiled and stood up straighter, "Don't you worry ladies, I'll protect you."

"If you think we need you protecting us then you have another thing coming." Jade riposted, holding a blade she produced out of rock to his throat.

"Woah, woah, let's calm down now, shall we?" Lark exclaimed, getting in between the two.

"Fine," Jade retorted, "But don't think I'll be happy having him in our group." The blade collapsed into a pile of dirt and rock and Jade walked away.

"Awww, what did I do wrong? I think she's mighty pretty." Ripper said, gazing longingly in the direction Jade left in.

"Maybe you need to calm it down with the 'damsel in distress' stuff okay?" Lark suggested.

"Yeah, and maybe don't suggest that we can't take care of ourselves?" Leafla said.

"Fine." Ripper responded, rolling his eyes, "We ought to get going right? We need to make it to Fire Domain by Saturday or Minrday. It's a day or two's walk from StoneHill Castle, so we need to leave in an hour or so after we get supplies."

"Okay, let's get our supplies then." Jade said loudly, walking back towards them.

They had made it very far. Traveling NorthWest, they were about three miles from the Fire Domain border before they were ambushed by a group of thieves. They were all knocked out and awoke on small cots in a cavern of rock.

"Hello," A sweet male voice said, "It's nice to meet you. Sorry about the kidnapping but we couldn't just let you see where our hideout is." The figure finally came out of the shadows. It was a boy, probably around 20 years old. His hair was greys and his eyes were blue complementing the blue streaks in his short, wavy hair. He was probably about 6'0. He was a very handsome young man, at least Lark thought so, and he reminded her of someone, Lark just didn't know who.

"I'm Storm," The man said, "And you guys are?"

"Oh, I'm Lark." Iris responded, blushing, "This is Jade, Ripper, and Leafla."

"Leafla?" Storm replied, confused. He looked at Leafla as if he knew her, she narrowed her eyes at him before he turned back to Iris, "This isn't Leafla, this is Cumula. My sister."

"What?" Lark said, taken aback.

"Yeah, we grew up together with our pops back in Sky City, Sky Domain. Didn't we Cula?" If looks could kill, the look Leafla, or Cumula, was giving Storm would be one of the deadliest.

"You lied to me!?" Lark asked, betrayed. Tears were starting to stream down her face. "I wouldn't have cared that you were from the Sky Domain, why didn't you tell the truth!?"

"Because I was scared. I had been on the run and I know Nature Domain people don't take very highly to any other domain, I didn't want you to hate me." Cumula responded, looking down and starting to cry. "I'm sorry,Lark."

Lark felt bad, she knew Cumula had very good reasoning for lying, Lark just couldn't believe that with what had been happening the past week. She needed to be alone, so she left the room and found a small, one person cave to cry in. She ended up falling asleep.