Mark of the Ranger

I. Put Down The Witch!

         Maddie was a normal girl. She went to a public school, hung out with her friends on the weekends, sang in the shower, and liked Starbucks. There was one quality, however, that everyone found very strange: the mark on the back of her neck. It was a mark perfectly shaped like a crescent moon, in a black as if someone had written on it with a permanent marker.

         One day, Maddie was walking to meet her friends after school when she saw a knight standing in the middle of the sidewalk. The knight had silvery black armor. Strapped on his waist was a scabbard with a sword in it.  Out of the top of his helmet, a steady stream of fire poured out. His helmet completely concealed his face.

         The knight walked over to Maddie with grim determination. "Uh...hello?" she said as he drew closer. The knight spoke to her with a metallic, raspy voice. "I know you are a witch," he told her. Maddie threw off her girly facade. "Then you know what I can do, fire-plumed stranger," she responded with a smirk. She raised her hands up, and cones of ice formed in the air.

         The knight drew his sword. Its blade blazed with a red fire. Maddie thrust her hand forward, commanding the cones of ice to attack him. He slashed through a few, but more impaled him. Ice spread along his armor.

          The knight called out in a familiar-sounding language that Maddie couldn't quite place. More knights, looking identical to him, leaped out of the bushes and from stores along the street. While a knight tended to the freezing first, two more grabbed Maddie by each arm and pinned them behind her back. "Hey! Let me go!" she cried out, to no avail. The knights began to drag her by the arms into the street.

          Maddie was glad to see that the knights weren't planning on throwing her into a busy street so a car could run her through. Instead, they brought her to a fancy red car, like a 1960's Mustang convertible. One knight opened the trunk as the two holding her threw her in and closed it.

          Maddie kicked and screamed. "Let me out of here! Let me out!" she shouted until her throat was dry and she decided it would be more beneficial to shut up. She felt the car begin to move. Oh, great, she thought. I'm being kidnapped by Renaissance Festival cosplayers. 

          The drive went on for a while. Maddie couldn't really hear the knights talking, as she was in the trunk, so she waited patiently until the car stopped. Two knights opened the trunk and grabbed her out. They stuffed a cloth in her mouth and handcuffed her. "You be good, and we'll take that off," one knight said, their voice female. Maddie thought that was strange, as they didn't look female. 

          Maddie took this opportunity to look around. They were nearing a mansion in the middle of a dark forest that looked almost alien to her. It was a forest, but there was something there other than your usual creatures and trees. Maddie and her four captors walked up to the front steps of the mansion. The first knight, now thawed, knocked on the door. After a small delay, the door opened with excessive drama.

          Maddie's four captors led her in to the mansion. They went through a few hallways before finally opening large wooden doors the size of a two-story house. The knights led her in and tossed her onto the ground, making her sit on her knees.

          Maddie looked up. Sitting on a golden throne was another knight. However, this knight was not like the others. He was much more terrifying. His armor was the same silvery black, but he had spiky shoulder pads. Black thorns encircled his limbs. Instead of a single plume, fire poured out of the top if his helm like a volcano. Next to his throne, on Maddie's left, was a sword that she guessed was taller than her.

          "We've brought you the witch, sir," the first knight said. The grand knight stood up and walked dramatically over to her. He immediately looked at the back of her neck, then rubbed her crescent moon mark. She heard a noise like an alto singer, and the grand knight looked slightly impressed. He pulled the cloth out of her mouth. "I see you really are a witch," he rumbled. "I don't suppose you know what my name is, witch?" 

          "No," she answered, her voice shaking. The grand knight's voice was enough to strike terror into the heart of a serial killer. The grand knight grunted in amusement. "I am Infernas, the Molten Emperor," he answered. "Lord of the Scorch Knights. Any questions?" Maddie shook her head. She heard an explosion, then some grunting in pain. The door behind her burst open. Maddie turned around.

          Behind her was a hooded person with a crow's-head mask and purple armor that reminded Maddie of leather. They were also covered in a violet hooded cloak. The crow person leaped in the air and kicked on of the Scorch Knights in the head. Using that momentum, they knocked down the other three, bouncing from head to head. they landed right behind Maddie, who was now standing and being held by Infernas, and raised a bow.

          "Put down the wizardess!" the crow person called. Maddie could tell by their voice that they were clearly male. Infernas gave a chuckle. "Sorry, Outland Ranger, but there are no wizardesses here. This..."--he pointed to Maddie--"...is a witch." The Outland Ranger lowered his bow for a second and peered closer at Maddie. "So she is," he confirmed. "Put down the witch!"

           Infernas laughed. "I don't think--" the Outland Ranger dashed with unbelievable speed and grabbed Maddie right out of Infernas' arms. "Well, I do," he quipped, and made a mad dash to the mansion's front door with Maddie in his arms, bridal style. As he burst through the door, Maddie could see a giant crow was waiting for them. Without hesitation, the Ranger tossed Maddie onto the crow, leaped on himself, then urged the crow into flight.

          The Ranger freed Maddie's handcuffed hands, then turned his attention to flying the giant crow. Maddie gawked at him in bewilderment. The Ranger must have noticed her gawking, because he asked, "What? Why are you gawking at me?" Maddie shook her head to get back into gear. "What just happened? What are you? Where are we going?" she asked. 

          The ranger held up one finger. "I just used my quick wit and Ranger abilities to save you from Infernas, the Molten Emperor." He added a second finger. "I am an Outland Ranger, seven marks. My name is Tallen van Rook." He added a third finger. "I'm taking you to the Wizarding Guild. They'll know what to do with you."

          Maddie was slightly overwhelmed. She passed out.

*****

          Maddie woke up in a comfy-looking room. She was in a soft red velvet bed, across the room from another just like it. Another girl was standing over her. "Hey, Maddie," the girl said. "I'm Minerva. Welcome to the Wizarding Guild, I guess."