Chapter One:
Memories

The trees overhead only made it more difficult for him to see as he made his way through the forest. The smell of pine was heavy in the air as walked carefully over the twisted knots of tree roots sticking up through the ground beneath him. “Remara.” He said aloud. The life force of a nearby rabbit fueled the spell he wove with the Language of Elders. A small red ball of light appeared above his hand. He looked at his surroundings, still unable to see clearly. Unsatisfied with the spells results, he increased the flow of energy, bringing the rabbit within seconds of death. The ball grew in size in its response to the increased energy.
The area around the man was then painted in a reddish glow. This time, he was fully satisfied. He bent over and examined the earth in front of him. His dark eyes fixated on it, with an intent the soldier behind him didn’t understand.
“They were here some time ago. One of them were mortally wounded, but was healed with magic.” He said with a smirk. The soldier stiffened as the man stood and turned to look at him. The man’s eyes bore into the soldier, their deadly gaze gleaming in the moon light. The evil inside the man pulsated with a vibrancy that frightened the soldier. The very force of his brutality caused him to shiver with unease.
“What do you purpose we do Hamlock?” The man said in his raspy voice.
“I suppose we should, continue onward sire...” He replied. At first the man didn’t reply. He only stood and glared at Hamlock. “Sire?”
“Right you are Hamlock. We shall continue forward. I say we are but a week behind them. With that dragon with them, it’s easy enough for me to locate them.” The man said.
“How so sire?” The man chuckled under his breath.
“All in due time Hamlock.”

“Rise and shine Pen!” Elva yelled out as she splashed cold water on Pen’s face. He bolted upright and yelled “Damn you Elva!” She frowned and brushed aside a strand of her dark hair.
“There is no reason for you to be snippy. I was only having a bit of fun. After the last few weeks i think we need to enjoy ourselves at least a little...” She said.
“I know. I’m sorry. I’ve really been on edge since our battle with Granite. And i still have a difficult time believing that he was your uncle.”
She nodded and looked to the cloudless sky. “Yes, well at least it seems we will have a safe and easy flight today. After all, you are going to continue training with Rien and Urie right?”
“Aye, i believe i need all the training i can get if i am to join the resistance’s army.”
Pen stood and stretched his aching muscles. He examined the area around them. There were no trees in sight, but the morning light casted magnificent glows about the Valley of Green, giving him the feeling of complete serenity. On either side of Pen, towering mountains rocketed to the heavens, making him feel small. Rien was on the furthest corner of their camp, busy conversing with Urie, his ice dragon, about matters unknown to Pen. Elva was collecting her things and placing them into her pack. It surprised Pen at how fast she worked. It was obvious that she had traveled many times before.
Pacco was lying on the ground, surrounded by rocks that he used to outline his body. Pen didn’t fully understand Pacco. He was a strange and very unusual individual.
“Pen, i would also like to get some more training with Lethian in before we get to the resistance. You’re still not very skilled with a blade.” Elva said without taking her eyes off of her work.
“If you wish.” He replied.
Pen then grabbed his pack and proceeded to gather his things from the camp around them. He picked up extra slabs of meat that they didn’t finish the night before. He picked up clothes, water skins and what little bit of money he still had left from his room. The last thing he retrieved from the soft, grass coated ground was Lethian. The sword he had been given to him by Elva in Teiram. The sword was unique in every aspect. Even the metal was not of this earth. It was had special qualities that allowed it to retrieve and store energy from around it.
A quality that Pen found most useful in battling a sorcerer. He attached Lethian’s holster to his belt and sheathed it. It clicked into place and hung from his side, making him appear as a nobleman. Even the holster was of great make. Its detailed and complex design was of the highest standards. Elva clasped Pen’s hand and kissed his cheek.
“I think it’s time we leave. Apophis should be back before long.”
Pen nodded and gestured at Rien that it was time. The two of them nodded in return and together they strode over to Pen and followed him and Elva down the long path heading towards the western mountains of Valley Green.

Apophis scanned the ground below for signs of life. This had been the first time he had had this much trouble finding a meal. He growled in frustration as he passed the cliff at the edge of Valley Green. He angled his wings and turned back towards Pen’s camp. He then reached forward with his mind.
“I am unsuccessful. The largest animal i located was a musk rat too small for even a hatchling.” He said
Pen’s voice filtered through their mental connection.
“We have plenty of meat left from last night. You could just eat that.” Apophis was unsure if the meat in Pen’s sack would even suffice as a snack, but decided that he was going to have no better luck searching around the valley. It was strange to Apophis. He had always known valleys to be filled with life. He shook his head and thrust himself into a swift flight. He quickened the pace of his wings and straightened his neck out.
“I take it you have already left camp?” He asked Pen.
“Aye, we are about a mile or two west of the camp. I doubt you will have much trouble finding us.”
“That i will not young one.” The Day Dream Dragon responded with a small chuckle.
He sniffed and let out a long breath of fresh morning air. It was crisp and cool, but felt good in his throat. He smiled and allowed himself to relax. He strained his wings to allow himself to fly faster. Joy seemed to be flowing through him.
“I see you.” Pen said suddenly.
“And I you little one.” Pen smiled as the great dragon folded his wings and dove into a steep decline. Just 100 feet from the ground did he open his wings. The sudden force of air put great strain on the membranes of Apophis’s wings. He landed with a solid thud. “Good of you to join us Apophis, i take it you have had your fill?” Rien asked as Apophis approached the group.
“No, this valley is clear of animals big enough for me to thoroughly enjoy. Though i prefer my food live, Pen has offered me the leftover meat from last night. So i should be fine until i can fly out of this accursed valley.” Apophis replied.
Pen reached into his pack and pulled out a cloth containing the deer meat. He placed it on the ground in front of Apophis, who looked at it with dismay.
“It’s not as much as i was hoping for.” Without another word, he gobbled it up in one scoop. The meat slid effortlessly down his gullet.
After Apophis finished his meager meal, they continued to walk in near silence. This aloud Pen time to reflect on the past two day’s events. He marveled at all he had accomplished.
He recalled the great battle that had taken place between himself, Rien, Urie, Pacco, Apophis, Granite, and his Night Stalk Dragon. It amazed him at how he was able to free Elva from the dragons clutches. And how he was able to save himself from the arms of death. Then he remembered learning about his Grandfather’s past. About how he was The Great Blodgaram. And how him and his dragon, Phoenix fought to stop Methias, but ultimately was unable to.
The dark king vanquished Phoenix and nearly killed Blodgaram. He also had learned about the ring on his finger, and the magical essence inside of it. Blodgaram had stored his own mind within the ring. Pen found this out by searching within the ring with his mind. Inside the ring, his grandfather had created a vast world that he lived in. It was an absolute paradise. He found himself lost within it for several hours, talking with his grandfather, learning about the capabilities of magic. And its limitations.
“You can do much with magic Pen. You can create touchable, feel-able, beings. You can heal wounds, inflict damage. You can even take a life if needed. You can do almost anything your heart desires. But you must always make sure you do not have a loophole in a spell. Having one could result in your death.”
“How?” Pen asked him.
“Say you wanted to do something as simple as move a rock from one spot to another. If you were to just say, move that rock, the rock very well might never stop, and if you were using your own life force to fuel the spell, you would be drained and killed by the spell. Or if you wanted to carry yourself over a canyon or river and you simply said, carry me across, you might get flung across at such speed that the impact would crush you. Magic is helpful, but use it to freely, and you will wined up dead,”
“What if i wanted to bring someone who’d died back? Could that be possible?”
“You must never attempt resurrection. That is of the darkest magic imaginable. It will un-doubtfully kill you. For such a spell cannot be fueled with another’s life force. You would have to relinquish your own to their body, and take their place where ever their spirit was sent. This means if they went to hell, you would be damned to burn for eternity.”
Pen didn’t ask any questions after that. He was still recovering from the initial shock of finding his dead grandfather alive and well.
He had hoped that resurrection could have been possible for him. With it, he had hoped to bring his mother back. She knew something about Blodgaram and the dark king. It didn’t make sense to him that Methias would just choose him out of thousands of people. There was a reason for Methias’s desire to kill Pen.
“Urie...do you know anything about my mother?”
The dragon shook her head in response. “Pacco knew about your grandfather. So maybe you answers lie with him.”
Pacco was hobbling in the back of the group chanting something under his breath as they walked. “I think I’ll wait till he is done with...whatever it is he is doing...” Pen said to Urie aloud.
Apophis let out a loud yawn, exposing his sharp white teeth. His black scales glittered in the light and at times, the light would blind Pen. He found it a nuisance. “At times, i wish your scales were not so mirror like Apophis. It could be a dangerous thing.”
“Must you complain Pen? I think Apophis’s scales are beautiful. What creatures other than dragons are as magnificent and stunning?” Elva said
Pen could only think of one person in the world whose beauty outweighed a dragon's. Though he said nothing. He knew that she had a hint of his feelings toward her. His cheeks turned red as the thought passed through his mind.
“We should stop to find food. The dragons are hungry and I would like to get some training with you in before night fall.” She said after a few minutes.
Pen relayed the message to the rest of the group and they set up camp. Pen hadn’t realized that they had walked for several hours. The mountains in front of him where much larger than he remembered. Clouds had covered the tops of them and the orange glow of a sunset spilled over the landscape.
“Good luck finding food. I can’t sense anything other than us in this valley.” Apophis stated.
Pen dropped his pack to the ground and unhooked Lethian’s holster from his belt and laid it across the pack. Elva did the same with her belongings and her Falchion.
“I thought that the Falchion sword was made for peasants and was a very weak blade.” Rien commented upon viewing Elva’s sword.
“My Falchion was made by the best blacksmith in Patheris. He used many special techniques to strengthen the metal. Although it is not near as magnificent as Lethian or your sword, rider, it is just as strong and even twice as sharp.” She responded
The thin blade’s sharp edge shined bright in the sun light from the horizon.
Next Elva used the same spell she had many times to form two equal sized sticks. One for her and one for Pen. She tossed the stick to Pen and said “Ready yourself.”
He did as instructed and readied his stance. He gripped the smooth wood in his right hand and stood with his feet shoulder width apart. Neither of them moved an inch. Pen’s heart raced in his chest. He thoroughly enjoyed his practice with Elva. It was somewhat of a goal of his to outdo her. Though he failed each time, he always looked forward to each of their practice sessions. A smirk curved her lips as she inched forward and in one swift motion, landed her stick on Pen’s left arm.
A fierce burning sensation exploded within his arm, as the stick left his skin red and swollen.
It had begun.

******

Chapter Two:
Hel-grinder

Rien mounted Urie and prepared for flight. He strapped his legs securely in the saddle and grasped the custom made handle in front of him. Unlike most dragons, Urie had no spines on her back for her rider to hold onto. Her spikes were retractable and were far sharper than any other dragon. Rien nodded to Pacco and Apophis as Urie lunged into the empty space above them. The sun was already beginning to sink below the horizon, so they had little time to hunt.
“I wish we would have left earlier than this.” Rien said to his partner. She growled in agreement. She opened her mind and searched for animals on the ground below them, and for several minutes was unable to find even an insect. “Apophis was right. This valley is barren. Aside from the grass and small shrubbery, there is no life.”
“Then should we return to the camp?” he asked.
“No, i am picking up on a large conscious. Even larger than my own...” Rien extended his mind and reached outward from his body, but was unable to find what she was talking about.
“Urie, I sense nothing more than you and I.”
“It’s close. Very close. And it is very large.”
Rien scanned the sky around them. Unsuccessful, he decided that there was no threat and they headed back towards the camp.
“What do you think you were sensing?”
“I do not know. But whatever it may have been, it’s gone now.”
Pen and Elva were finishing up their training when the two of them entered the camp.
“You were, unsuccessful i presume?” Pacco asked once they had landed in the circle.
Rien nodded “There is no life in this valley. As far as i can tell, that is.” Pen stumbled over to his pack and sat down. Large red marks adorned his torso, obvious evidence that he had lost their battle dearly. Elva had not a mark. She smiled as if returning triumphant from a great battle between good and evil. She brushed her hair from her face and sat down next to Pen, who was busy healing his wounds.
“How is it that you managed to dodge all of my attacks? It’s as if you weren’t even trying!” He exclaimed as she put her arms around him.
“I’ve told you many times before dearest, I have had years of combat training both on and off the battle field. You should not expect to best me only after a month.” she whispered softly into his ear.
“I hate when you do that...” he said softly. “Making me feel guilty for something as simple as being sour at you, after you thrash me every night with that blasted stick.”
She chuckled and released him. It was now fully dark out and the group decided sleep was needed if the dragons were to carry them all from the valley in the morning. Flying over the mountains with two people on each dragon would be no easy task. Pen rested against his pack and looked at the stars above. The glimmered like diamonds thousands of feet from the surface where he lied. He found himself wondering what glories might they hold if one could reach them.
Lost in his thoughts, he hardly realized that Elva had fallen asleep in his arms. He knew it wouldn’t be a smart idea to become attached to her. Even with this knowledge, he couldn’t help but love her. She was warm against him, and he to, was beginning to slip into blissful unconsciousness of sleep. The stars above blurred as his eyes gently slid shut. And all was well with him for the moment.

“Where are you hiding boy....”
The voice he heard he knew only too well. It reverberated off the walls of his mind. “Show yourself to me...” It said, piercing its way deep into his consciousness. It ravaged his mind searching for something, a clue, maybe as to where he was. But Pen had practiced many times before on concealing his p0thoughts from unwelcome intruders.
“You cannot hide forever. I will find you.”

A soft rumble woke Pen from his sleep. His eyes bolted open and he gasped, as if expecting an attack from the dark lord himself. He jumped to his feet and surveyed their surroundings. There was nothing to be found. “Where is that sound coming from.” he said under his breath. He placed his hand on Lethian and readied himself.
Just as he did, the silence of the camp was shattered by the wail of some unholy beast from beneath him. The screech was intense enough that Pen had to cup his hands over his ears. He shut his eyes tightly and yelled out in pain as the sound continued on.
Then without out warning, it ceased. Pen dropped to his knees and uncovered his ears. He could still hear the wails, even though they had stopped. He looked up to see Elva roll onto her side, suffering the same horrid sensation as himself. She spoke, but he was unable to hear what she said.
Again she yelled to him, this time she slowly began to fade in. But still, he couldn’t make it out.
“PEN! BEHIND YOU!!!”
Pen whirled around in time to see a towering tentacle rushing towards him. Without out thinking he dove out of its path. The tentacle landed with a solid thud. The tentacle belonged to a creature, unlike anything Pen had seen before. It was as big as a mountain, and was adorned with sharp spines. Each of its thousands of tentacles had hooked barbs. It was a repulsive sight.
“Hieran Faiys!!” Rien yelled from behind Pen. “We have to get out of here!” He exclaimed.
Again the creature screamed. But this time Pen could only feel the vibrations of the sound as it reverberated through the air around him. He guessed that this was the spell Rien had cast. He was protecting them from the monsters vicious roar.
Pen mounted Apophis, followed by Elva. She wrapped her arms tightly around his waist and held herself against him. Rein did the same with Urie and Pacco, though Pen imagined that the experience was not nearly as enjoyable for Rien as it was for Pen.
The dragons simultaneously jumped into the air, avoiding the beast’s tentacles as they did. The swift motions back and forth to do so, threatened to throw Pen from the saddle.
Before long they were free of the creatures reach and safe hundreds of feet above the ground.
“What in bloody hell was that thing?!” Pacco asked as they soared through the air.
“That was the Hel-grinder. A creature straight from Satan himself. It’s the unholy sum of misery and torture.” Rien explained.
“I’ve heard of it. Many brave and foolish warriors have died trying to kill it. Obviously, no one man stands a chance. The sheer size of the creature is too much for anyone to comprehend. I could only imagine their surprise when their eyes first befell it.” Elva said.
“We will have to cross the mountains before we can land. That valley bellow traps the monster.
Which is lucky for us. If it could get free, it would surely destroy the world.” Rien stated grimly.
“Lucky for you, you mean right rider? We have to carry your sorry hides the whole way.” Apophis joked.
The rest of the trip was silent. Pen knew it was from the lack of sleep. Everyone was too tired to carry on a conversation, or to shaken up. All the while Pen couldn’t help but think about the voice that visited him in his sleep. He knew it was Methias’s, but how was the king able to find him from Fienster? The only solution he could come up with was that the king had left his castle, and was searching for him. And if the Methias was able to find him that easily, it’s possible that he was in the valley with them. It made sense, since there is no life in the valley, it would be extremely easy to find a human conscious. The more he thought about it, the more the idea troubled him. Methias’s dragon was much larger than Apophis and Urie and Methias was an expert spell caster as well as swordsman. He was a very dangerous man to confront
Pen knew he was not ready, no one was. They did have an edge on him, however. The moon’s limitless source of power could be all they needed to defeat him. Elva was the only person Pen knew to ever see the power first hand, while healing Apophis. The un-bridal joy that was offered to her was more than her words could explain. Even now, the energy flowed within her. She would unknowingly tap into it, sometimes on simple spells. Though helpful, this could be dangerous and could ultimately result in her demise. So she refrained from using her own body to supply spells.
“What are you thinking Pen?” Elva said softly from behind him. And for a while Pen didn’t respond. How could he? He had no words to explain what he was thinking.
“What if Methias is following us?” He said finally.
“Then we shall fight, and we shall win.” She replied. He knew she wasn’t serious. And he wondered if she thought he wasn’t serious. But he decided not to push on the matter further. He gripped the white spike in front of him and took a deep breath of air, trying to keep himself from falling asleep.

******

Chapter 3
Elva’s Secret

By the time they had crossed into the mountain ridge, all of them where ready to fall unconscious from the lack of sleep. Apophis let his wings fold, and dropped to the ground. He landed hard and fell on his side, throwing Pen and Elva from his back. The two of them didn’t even move from the spots they landed. The grass covering the ground around them was soft, and inviting. Urie took a different approach to her landing and landed softly and allowed Rien and Pacco to climb off of her. She yawned loudly and snuggled up close to Apophis to sleep. Rien forced Pen and Elva to move underneath the dragons’ wings. The mountain was cold, and they could easily fall ill if careless.
They did as instructed and curled up together under one of Apophis’s massive wings. The warmth from his body would be more than sufficient to warm them while they slept. And sleep they did. For most of the day. All of them.

Elva’s eyes opened to an unfamiliar darkness greeting her. She at first couldn’t tell what was causing the darkness. Then she remembered that she had been sleeping under Apophis’s wing. She reached out and tapped softly on the dragons side and said
“Apophis, Are you awake?”
A growl shook the ground below her. “I am now girl. What do you want?” Elva, still groggy from sleeping all day just simply stated that she wanted let out from under his wing. On command, the dragon lifted his wing and allowed her to crawl out from under it. The air of the mountain rushed in and chilled her. She wrapped her arms around herself and stood.
The sun was just beginning to sink into the horizon. Rien and Pacco were fast asleep under Urie’s wing, who was busy cleaning her talons.
“So you are awake human.”
Elva nodded and replied. “I’m feeling much better now. I wish i could have slept longer though. Pen woke me.”
“As did Rien and Pacco. I’m not sure which, but one of them is snoring quite loudly. It’s rather annoying.”
Elva giggled and sat down next to the dragon. She admired the beauty of the dragon. Her bright blue scales neatly assorted along the length of her body, shined bright and flickered magnificently in the sunlight. The gentle curves of her figure where much different than Apophis’s. Just at first glance, Elva knew Urie was a female dragon. Even her intellect had a feminine feeling to it. But the sheer give away, was her soft and gentle voice. Unlike any dragon Elva had heard before, Urie’s voice was soft and gentle. Smooth as silk.
“How old are you dragon?”
“In human years i am one hundred thirty-seven. In dragon years, I am twenty-one. Most dragons will live well into their hundreds. Being as old as nine hundred or even one thousand human years.”
“Then...does that mean Rien will pass before you?”
“No. I will not live to be that old. You see, becoming a rider is not only a testament of the trust i feel for Rien and the love we share, but it also includes much sacrifice from the both of us. My years in this world have been shortened greatly, whereas Rien’s have been increased tenfold. He will live well into his hundreds. The youngest rider to ever die of natural causes, he lived to be two hundred years. And as you can imagine. A rider will lose a lot in two hundred years.”
“That sounds terrible! Why would anyone do such a thing to themselves? Why not just be like Pen and Apophis. Pen is not Apophis’s rider, but they have fought, and won a rider’s battle.”
“There are many advantages to being a rider. Such as the immense increase in magic strength. Or the invulnerability to illness. A lot of riders become riders to help the world. Many times it’s an act of selflessness. It’s a very difficult thing to explain. You’d have to experience the feeling yourself.”
“So, it’s like...love?”
“Have you felt love little one?”
Elva’s face turned red. “I have.”
Urie smiled the best a dragon could. “Tell me Elva, what of this love. Where is he now? He wouldn’t happen to be that young man under Apophis could he?”
Elva laughed “I know, it’s obvious. But no matter what happens he mustn’t learn of this. I have worked tirelessly to hide it from him.”
“Why keep something as complicated and wonderful as love from anyone?” Urie asked
Elva rested her chin on her knees and said “There is much, I have had to hide from him. It makes me feel sick to do such things. But it’s really in his best interest.”
Urie snaked her head around Elva.
“Believe me child. I am certain of one thing. That boy loves you just as strongly as you love him. Let it blossom. There is no secret strong enough to overcome such a feeling.”
Elva didn’t respond after that. Tears collected at the corners of her eyes, but she forced them not to fall.

The next morning, Pen awoke to the smell of freshly cooked meat. A smell he had not smelled since their departure from Teiram. The smell was so jarring that Pen hardly had time to open his eyes before he was walking towards it. Pacco, Rien, Apophis, Urie, and Elva were all surrounding a large fire eating what, to Pen, smelled like deer meat.
“Where did you get all of that?” He asked upon entering the circle.
“The dragons hunted early this morning and found that this mountain is sprawling with life. We should have no more trouble getting food from here on out.” Rien replied with a smile.
Pen sat down and Elva handed him a slab of meat, which he gratefully sank his teeth into. The rush of flavor made him realize just how hungry he truly was. He tore through the meat with his teeth, hardly even tasting it. After finishing his first piece, he dug into his pack for his water skin. Then grabbed another piece.
After their meal they discussed their next plan of action.
“We are still several days from the resistance HQ, and we are approaching the Baglaedish Desert. Once there we will have to move quickly, before the heat wave strikes. We will have a little over two days, assuming we can manage to make it there before nightfall tomorrow. The mountain itself is not hard to scale. In fact, it slopes down fairly gently. We would just fly, but we are going to need the dragons plenty rested if we want to get through the desert in time.” Rien said.
“How many more days till we get to the resistance do you think?” Pen asked
It was Elva who answered, “Considering that by myself it took me four months to make it all the way to the forest where i found you, I’d say we still have three months yet to go.”
“Three months!?” Pen exclaimed.
“Aye, I agree with her. Three months sounds about right. You don’t realize how large this land of ours is. We can’t fly the whole way and besides. This will give you plenty of time to master your sword and your magic.” Rien added.
“I also would like to teach zee boy some of my own methods.”
“Oh really, what methods could you teach me Pacco?”
“I want you to learn the most incredible way of bending magic. It will help you when fighting a spell caster. Tell me, when i had you as a prisoner in The Belaroughe, did you not try to use magic to get out? Or to reach out of the cell with your mind, only to find that it was impossible?”
“Well...yes?”
“That was a spell i have invented to bend others magic against themselves. It could save your life against the dark lord.”
“How do i do it?” Pen asked.
“All in due time. For now we need to get a move on. We have wasted enough precious time sitting here fiddling with how we are going to make it through the desert. Well the only way we will make it through that damned place is to get up and go.”
Pacco was right. They needed to get an early start if they had hoped to make it in time. So together, the group gathered their things and set off down the mountain.
The sudden change in scenery was spectacular to Pen. From the barren and dry grounds of the Valley, to the lush vibrant and living grounds of the mountain. Pine trees sprawled out in every direction.
Moss, ferns, flowers, mushrooms, and bushes of all sorts grew around them. The ground below was damp, obvious evidence that it had recently rained here. The sky was scarce of clouds and the air cool. Pen had never been so happy to be in a damp forest. He knew the rest also felt this strange feeling of release. Pen reached forward with his mind, searching for Elva’s conscious.
“Pen?” Her voice rushed into his mind
“Yes, it’s me. Tell me, what of the resistance? How did you get involved?”
“I...well my father, disgraced my family. He murdered my mother, and my brother. He’s a mad man and i wanted to reclaim the honor he lost for all of us. So i joined the resistance. Now, due to my father’s violent past, they didn’t just accept me right away. I was put through many tests. Some not so pleasant. During that time i developed the combat skills you’ve seen while battling me. In both magic and swordsmanship. But it was only after i saved the resistance, that they truly accepted me as one of their own. Those documents that where stolen by that spy. I was the one to recover them. If Methias had gotten hold of them, the resistance would be no more. Through the thief escaped, i managed to wipe his memory clean and recover the documents.”
“So it took all of that for them to receive you...could they not just search your mind like Rien and Urie did to us?” Pen asked
“I too wondered why they didn’t. But i know it’s because even if you search through someone’s memories and intentions, they could very well change their mind in an instant.”
“So that’s why they tested you like that.” Pen said aloud.
“I believe so. Luckily for you, since your grandfather is Blodgaram, you won’t have any trouble getting in. Tell me Pen, about you father...you never speak of him, and i here you dreaming of him frequently.”
“My father was a great man. I can remember little of him though. He built our house with nothing but his hands... He was recruited into Methias’s army when i was three. It’s likely that he is dead now. Methias took both of my parents from me, that bastard, will die for it. This i swear.”
Elva looked down and walked in silence. It was obvious that something was bothering her. Pen decided not to press her about it. He instead contacted Apophis.
“Apophis, you and Elva talk a lot right?” Pen asked
“That we do. Your wanting to know what is troubling her i presume?”
Pen nodded in response.
“Unfortunately little one, i do not know myself.”
“Pen...” Elva said suddenly
She stopped and clenched her fists into tight balls. She looked up and stretched out her hands.
“Come here.”
Pen did as instructed. She grabbed his hands and said “Whatever you see, you can’t let it change how you feel about me...or about anything. Remember, I didn’t choose to be my father’s daughter. And i don’t want to be.”
He agreed. She nodded and bit her bottom lip.
She reached out with her mind and blanketed Pen’s conscious, a move she had done several times before. And again, Pen welcomed the warmth and comfort her mind brought. She pulled him from his body and into her mind. He saw all of what she saw and all of what she heard, felt, or smelled. She rushed through her memories, going back further than Pen. Before she joined the resistance and to the time she ran from her father’s grasp. She stopped on the memories of her house. It was magnificent. Four stories high the house stood. Green grass in the lawn. Something right out of a fairy tale. The interior was even more outstanding. Gothic styled pillars supported the roof, and a complex design of spider webbing lips sprawled out from the pillars and intertwined in the middle of the room.
A chandelier hung down in the center. And under the chandelier was placed a table. At the table sat a woman Pen was not familiar with. Across from her sat Elva, to his surprise her hair was blonde. Next to Elva was a boy much younger than himself. And at the head of the table was what Pen froze on. The very being he resented more than anything else. Methias sat there with his fingers locked and a grin on his face that chilled Pen to the bone. He spoke. “Do you have the dinner ready yet, dearest?” His voice was cold and heartless, just as it had been in his dream.
“Yes father...” Elva said softly, as if to not offend him. She looked terrified of the man. And Pen knew she had every right to be.
“Please tell me this isn’t real.” Pen said without thinking. He knew it was hard enough for her to accept that Methias was her father, and that she didn’t need him questioning her.
“I wish it wasn’t. Pen i hate my father, you must understand this. But if you kill him, i will die as well.”
“What are you talking about?”
“The only reason my father kept me alive instead of just killing me, is because of my mother. The night my father was going to kill us, she used her own soul to cast a spell, to assure that i would live on. The spell bonded my life force with his. And to counteract her spell, Methias used his own magic to assure i could not kill myself to end him and this war.”
“Then how the hell am i supposed to stop that psycho?!”
“I don’t know Pen. Maybe i have to die. Maybe that’s how it will have to be.”
She let the memory fade and returned Pen to his body.
“I can’t let you die for him. We will find a way to counteract his spell with one of our own...”
Elva smiled uneasily and kissed Pen’s cheek.
“I’ve tried, and if such a spell did exist, the resistance would know of it. I’m set to be executed upon my return. I can’t kill myself, but anyone else can. The resistance knows this and they are going to use me to end the war.” Tears streamed her face as the words slipped passed her lips.
“We will find something Elva, I promise you.” He said as he embraced her.

******

Chapter 4
Elder of Earth

Pen grabbed the branch in front of him and used it to hoist himself up to further into the tree. He was almost to his goal. He reached out and again, climbed higher.
“You know Pen, we could have just used magic to grow and apple if you want one that bad!” Rien yelled from below. But Pen paid no mind to him. No apple could ever look as delicious as the apple before him. It was the biggest apple he had ever seen. Then again, the tree he climbed also was the biggest he had ever seen. It splintered up above the rest a good hundred feet. The base of the tree was wider than Apophis was long. It truly was a sight to behold.
Getting into the tree was a challenge in itself. He had to use magic to do it. For the first branch was several feet above his head. But none the less, he made it. And now as he climbed the final branch in his way, he was before the apple. It was almost equal to the size of his head, and twice as heavy.
“I made it guys!” He exclaimed as he reached out to grab it.
“WHO DARES TO PICK FROM MY FRUITS WITHOUT MY PERMISSION?” thundered a voice from within the tree. The sudden explosion of noise nearly knocked Pen from the tree’s branches.
“Did that tree just...talk?” asked Pacco.
“Yes, i believe it did.” Rien responded.
“ANSWER ME, OR SHALL BE FORCED TO CRUSH THE INSECT CRAWLING IN MY BRANCHES.” the tree yelled again.
One of the trees branches turned and wrapped around Pen. He yelled out as the tree’s crushing strength squeezed the air from his lungs.
“Wait! We are only travelers! We have no food and would be grateful if you would allow us to have an apple from your branches.” Elva said. The tree swayed back and forth, shaking Pen as if he were nothing but a doll. His face turned purple and dots of color swirled in front of his eyes.
“We meant you no harm great tree.” Rien pleaded. “Please release the boy!” But the tree paid no mind. Everything they said seemed to only anger it further. Then, without warning, it stopped and loosened its grip on Pen.
“You miserable fool. Your gross misunderstanding of how the world and the universe must coexist makes me sick. Should you go up to a woman and steal from her virginity? Should you ever go up to an animal and steal their young from them? No you shall not. Then why do you humans think it is okay to tear a piece of me away without my consent?” the tree inclined.
“We were wrong and we apologize. Hunger has gotten the best of us. It’s been days since our last meal.” said Apophis
And for a minute the tree was quiet. Then, “I can smell the meat on your breath dragon. Do not patronize me. I am no fool. And you are greatly out matched. For even a mighty dragon could not hope to defeat me. Not even and army of dragons. No, i am commensal and you are abrupt and consume all in your path. I grow eternally, and you will one day die and rot back into the earth that feeds me. I will last intact this way. Do you understand what i am trying to say?”
“You-your one of the Elders!” Rien stated excitedly.
“That i am. Elder of Earth. I’ve been residing here in this forest for many years. More than the human language has number for.”
“Oh great Elder! Forgive our foolishness.” Rien said calmly as he bowed, motioning to Urie, Apophis, Pacco, and Elva to do the same.
One by one they presented their apologies. And one by one they bowed to the mighty Elder. Even Pen, who was still in the grips of the tree apologized.
“You are wise to worship me mortals. That does not repent your fault though. You must each supply me with half of the energy you possess. I know you can each use magic. I can sense it around you. Especially the female. There’s something special about you. Though i do not know what it is, i am sure it is magic related.”
“If that is what you wish Elder of Earth. That is what you shall receive.” Rien said.
Almost immediately the Elder’s powerful conscious tore into them and stripped all of them of half their life force. From Pen though, he took more, nearly killing him.
“As you are the one that caused me the most offense, i shall take two thirds of your energy. And i shall put it to good use in growing the forest even more.”
Pen’s eyelids became as lead as the power drained from his body. He felt his heart rate drop drastically and his breathing slow. The Elder sat him next to Apophis. Pen fell to his knees and dropped to his stomach, where he lay.
All became dark and silent, except for Elva’s voice. Her, he could hear.
“You’ll be okay Pen. Don’t worry. And when you wake up, the Elder gave you one of his apples. He said that although you wronged him, he loves all life and he wanted to show it by giving you what you came to him to get.”
Though he could not respond, Elva knew Pen would laugh at the thought.

******

Chapter 5:
Closing In

Hours passed before consciousness returned to Pen. He was still starving. His stomach growled as he sat upright in Apophis’s saddle. Pen’s head throbbed. He guessed it was the result of the Elder ravaging through his mind. He felt weak. Just how much power did the Elder steal from him?
“Ah, I see you’re finally awake. I wasn’t sure if you were going to wake back up or not. You’ve been out for nearly two days.” Rien said from somewhere behind him.
Pen tried to speak but found that he wasn’t fully in control of himself yet. His eyelids were heavy. Keeping them open was a challenge all itself. Rien chuckled at Pen.
“You look rough. The Elder really had at you, did he not?”
Once again, Pen was unable to react, or respond in anyway. He felt like an empty shell.
Apophis yawned, his maw wide open. The thunderous sound of his voice filled Pen’s foggy conscious.” You really gave us a scare little one. I was beginning to worry about you.”
“Apophis, why can’t I talk...or move for that matter?” Apophis was quick to answer.
“We think that the Elder has actually taken more than just energy from you. The rest of us recovered within minutes. But you, slipped into unconsciousness almost immediately. We assumed he took more energy and as a result, your body shut down. But when any of us try to enter your mind, we, ourselves are nearly killed.”
What was Apophis talking about? What exactly did the Elder do to him? He tried to speak but still couldn’t. So, instead he tried to contact Rien. But even that was beyond him.
“Apophis, I can’t even leave my body. What is happening to me?”
“I don’t know. Elva and Urie have flown ahead, to the town coming up to get us a room where you can rest. Maybe you just need some time to reconstruct yourself.”
Pen remembered the soul eater, and how it had immobilized Elva for nearly two full weeks. He hoped that would not be the case for him. It was crucial for them to get to the resistance HQ. Every, minute they spent out in the open allowed the king to close in on their location. The dark lord wanted Pen, for reasons unknown to him.
“Can’t we just keep going? I’m sure I’ll be fine.”
“We tried to reason with her, but she is stubborn. She won’t be persuaded otherwise, believe me.”
Arguing with Elva was pointless. Pen knew that.
“We could always tell her something insane, like there is something following us!”
Pen had completely forgotten about Pacco.

“Stay here Hamlock. You make too much noise, you know that right.” The man said
Hamlock nodded and sat on a large rock to the side of the road.
The man began mumbling something in a language that Hamlock didn’t know. His master had used the language on many occasions. He had associated it with magic. The man was good with magic.
At first, Hamlock didn’t understand what was happening to him. His face got hot and he began to sweat. His heart rate dropped and he felt weak. He dropped his sword and fell to the ground, gasping for breath. He looked around at the barren landscape. There was no life in sight.
“Don’t take this personally Hamlock, but it was either my life or yours to fuel the spell. I choose the better decision, do you not agree.”
Hamlock couldn’t breathe. His throat swelled and his eyes burned. He could no longer feel his hands. And he was cold.
“After all. I need to get out of this god forsaken valley. I’ve had about all I can handle. And this spell will put somewhere within ten miles of the boy.”
Hamlock couldn’t comprehend what the man was saying to him. He heard only muffled whispers. The arms of death reached for him, as darkness enveloped his vision. Then all at once. The flow of energy ceased, and Hamlock fell into unconsciousness.
“Hmm, the boy mustn’t be as far as I had assumed. Still alive. I’m surprised.”
And with that, the two disappeared into thin air.


Elva ran her fingers across Urie’s shiny blue scales.
“How much longer do you think they will be?”
“Not too much longer. They weren’t all that far from here. It’s best just to wait for them.”
“Maybe, maybe I could search for Apophis’s mind.” Urie said.
“No. Rien gave us strict orders. If we are going to stay here then we are going to have to stay hidden. That’s why I wouldn’t allow you to go into town. If people see you, they are going to raise questions. After all, there are not many riders left in the world. I’ll go in and try to get us a room for the night.”
“Elva.”
Elva detected a sense of worry in Urie’s voice. She knew something was bothering the dragon.
“What is it Urie?”
“This boy. You love him, do you not?”
Elva felt her cheeks grow hot. She tried to hide her embarrassment.
“I forgot you knew.”
“I am a dragon, and being so I have senses. Though it does not take much to see the affection you two have for one another.”
Elva bowed her head and sighed. She ran her finger tips through her hair and leaned against the dragon.
“I and Pen can never be together. There is something that is going to happen, once we find my father. And I fear that I’m not going to like it.”
“Are you talking about your curse child?” Urie asked. Elva nodded in response.
“There is no way around it. The magic used was very precise. My father was very careful to examine every single last detail. No matter the circumstance, if he dies, my life force will replace his own. The spell was originally my mother’s, used to keep Methias from killing me.”
“But he turned the spell around to use it for his own profit.”
Elva didn’t answer. She slumped to the ground and buried her face in her arms.
“Oh I wish I knew what to say. “
“You don’t have to say anything. This isn’t your problem. It’s mine.”
“Have you told Pen?”
Elva nodded.

The man’s eyes burned red. Their gaze was enough to kill. Hamlock struggled to hold his sword as he walked next to his master.
“I can smell him.”
“Excuse me....sire? You can smell him?”
“Aye Hamlock, his dragon to. This is a problem.” Hamlock was confused. The dark master, afraid? Something was wrong.
“There are plenty of trees for me to sap from, but I dare not expose my mind to the dragon.”
“Why, sire?”
“Dragons have much more powerful minds than humans, even humans such as myself. Exposing my mind to it, it could allow it to simply immobilize me long enough for the boy to kill me.”
“Dragons can do that?” Hamlock asked.
“Anyone with proper training can manage that Hamlock. Exposing your mind in the presents of a magician is a foolish mistake.”
“Is there any way to block it from happening?” The man’s eyes narrowed as his head whipped around to face Hamlock.
“If there was a way to keep this from happening, do you think I would worry you fool?!”
Hamlock kept his mouth shut after that. Arguing with the lord of darkness, a death sentence. That is how Hamlock saw it.
“There is one thing I could to combat the dragon. If the dragon cares enough for the boy that is.” The man said
“What is that my liege?”
“If I injure the boy, he will have to heal himself somehow. If gets to the point that he no longer has the strength to battle, perhaps I could trick the beast into leaving the sanctity of his own body to assist the young lad. That would be the best chance I could have of defeating the dragon. I can easily overpower it outside its body.” the man explained.
Hamlock didn’t understand any of what his master was talking about. He couldn’t grasp the concept of leaving one’s body and contacting another’s mind with your own. The whole concept was a bit sketchy to him.
“But sire, didn’t you say that a dragon’s consciousness is much more powerful than that of a human?”
The man nodded in agreement. “But if the dragon leaves his body, his conscious weakens tremendously. Think of it as if I would yell right next to you. It would be loud correct?”
Hamlock nodded
“But the further I walk from you, the quieter my voice would become. The same concept applies to a conscious and a body.”
“Then how would you be able to overpower it? Wouldn’t your conscious weaken as well?” Hamlock asked
“It’s true that my conscious will become weaker as I leave my body, but I’m not going to test the dragon in a battle of strength. If I can manage to blanket the dragon’s mind with my own, he will be immobilized allowing me to go in for the kill.”
Even after the explanation, Hamlock still found it difficult to understand the process. But decided it best not to question his lord any further. He knew he would never fully understand it.

Elva sat down at the bar of the Unague hotel. It was a fairly busy hotel, though fairly bland as well.
“Can I do something for you dear?” The woman behind the counter asked.
“Yes, I need a room, drastically. You see my friend was injured while on the road. We were attacked by thieves.” Elva responded
“A pretty little thing like you traveling the road? It’s no wonder you were attacked. I am guessing this friend of yours saved you from them?” She asked
Elva nodded.
“Where is he now? Is he your lover? Or is this a female friend?”
“He’s on his way here with my other friend, and no we’re not lovers. I went ahead to see if we could get a room here.” Elva quickly answered. Too quickly in her opinion. She didn’t want to come off as nervous. Though she knew they didn’t have much to hide. Just their identities.
“What’s your name dear, mine is Elena.”
Elva hadn’t thought of coming up with fake names.
“Helen. My injured friend is named, Glen and the one he is traveling with is named Aran.”
Elena smiled warmly, oblivious to Elva’s lie.
“Well Helen, it’s nice to meet you. Would you like separate rooms?”
Elva took a moment to consider it. Then replied “Two rooms would be fine if you could.”

******

Chapter 6:
Moon Child

Bayona came into view just hours before sunset. The town was small and dark. No lights came from within it.
“Is that the town Elva is supposed to be in?” Pen asked Apophis. He scanned the town for signs of Elva’s mind. “She is un-doubtfully in there. She’s right in the center of it.” Pen took another look at the seemingly empty town. “Is she alright? Is she injured? “Pen asked hastily. Apophis again located her mind. “Why don’t I just channel you through to her little one? Ask her yourself. Apophis grabbed Elva’s mind and led it into Pen’s.
“Pen!” Her soft voice filling his head, made Pen excited. He hadn’t realized how badly he missed her. “It’s nice to see that you’re finally awake. I managed to get us a room! Get this, it’s free of charge.” Pen smiled for the first time since he regained consciousness. “I missed you Elva.” Through their connection, Pen could feel her happiness, and even though she didn’t say it, he knew she missed him as well. “That’s not my name, my name is Helen, and yours is Glen.” She said
“What are you talking about?” Pen asked
“We have to keep our identities as secretive as possible. In fact talking like this is probably very dangerous. I’ll talk to you once you get here.” Pen understood. He knew they were being followed. Opening one’s mind could attract the wrong kind of attention.
Rien helped Pen down from Apophis. “Sorry friend. But I think we will have to go our separate ways until Pen here regains his strength.” He said to Apophis.
With a low rumble, deep in his throat, Apophis nodded to Rien.
“Urie is waiting for you in the grove of trees a few miles ahead. Stay hidden until we come to retrieve you there. And also, do not attempt contacting us while we are in the town. Depending on how long this is going to take, I will come to see you myself.”
Pen could tell that Apophis hated taking order from a human.
“Then you will keep Pen safe until I am allowed to see him again human.”
The request sounded more like a threat to Pen.

The streets of Bayona were deserted when Pen and Rien finally made it into the gates of the town. The Unague hotel wasn’t far from the gates. Pen was thankful for this. Even with Rien’s support, Pen was still having difficulty walking.
“Will you make it there comrade?”
Pen didn’t answer. He had to concentrate to keep from falling.
After what seemed like ages, they were finally in the lobby of the Unague, where Elva was waiting for them. Her face lit up when the two of them walked through the door.
“Glen! Aran! You’ve finally made it! How are you holding up Glen? Are you feeling any better at all?” She said almost instantly.
Pen smiled faintly, allowing Rien to answer for him. “He will be fine after he gets some rest. Quick, come help me get him up the stairs.”
The three of them made their way through the hustle and bustle of the lobby and into the stairway. Walking up the stairs proved to be near impossible to Pen. Each stair felt like a mile. But he managed to push onto through the finish. The rooms Elva rented were right at the top of the staircase, and again Pen was thankful.
“How do you want this Helena?” Rien asked Elva.
She blushed slightly. “Glen can stay with you till he’s better.” Rien smiled “Helena, your better with magic so maybe you can help him recover better if he stays with you tonight.” She smiled and whispered “Thank you.”
Elva put Pen’s arm over her shoulder and led him into the darkness of the room off the left. Inside the room they found a bed, a dresser, and a table with a candle on it.
“Elena must have sent someone to prepare the room for us” Elva noted upon seeing the lit candle and readied bed. Shutting the door behind them, Elva led Pen to the bed, where he sat with a deep sigh of relief.
She sat down on the bed next to Pen, her heart racing in her chest. She brushed her hair out of her face. The orangish glow of the candle danced around the room, illuminating his face just enough for her to tell that he was looking directly at her. She reached out and placed her hand on his and for some reason, felt tears building. She embraced him tightly and whispered softly into his ear.
“I was so worried about you Pen. I was scared, scared that you would never wake up again. Even now, I can’t feel your consciousness. It’s as if you’re not even here, with me.” She hadn’t realized that she had begun to cry. Pen was still unable to talk, or to comfort her for that matter. He was barely able to hold her.
“Don’t leave me Pen, not ever.”
Those words stuck in his wandering mind through the rest of the night. Even though he wasn’t able to do much physically, having Elva sleeping next to him breathing softly was enough to keep him happy. Pen didn’t want to fall asleep that night. He wanted to hold onto that moment forever.

A soft caress awoke Pen from his sleep the next morning. It was Elva’s hand, brushing aside Pen’s golden blonde hair.
“Good morning Glen.” She said
Pen smiled “Good morning Helena.”
His eyes widened. He was able to talk again. He smiled widely and sat upright without much effort, though he could still tell that he was still weak. “That’s a good sign at least. Pen, do you still have your grandfather’s ring?”
Pen nodded and showed it to her.
“Do you think that your grandfather could help you replenish your fallen strength?”
“No, I already thought of that. No one else can enter the ring, and I can leave my body to do it myself. For some reason I can’t use any magic at all.”
Elva bowed her head and sighed. “ We can’t still can’t enter your mind either. Perhaps we can use the moon.” Elva suggested.
Again Pen shook his head. “I doubt the moon spirits would be to willing to help against someone who directly violated an Elder.”
“Yeah you’re probably right. And who knows what they might do to you if you’re rejected by them.”
Elva grabbed Pen’s hand and said with a smile “Then I guess we’re going to have to wait it out!”

Hamlock looked out at the horizon. His master was indeed right. There was a town only a few miles ahead.
“And what’s better Hamlock, the dragons are nowhere near the town. We have a good fifteen minutes before the dragons could show up on the ssscene.” The man said with a hiss.
His lips curved into a crooked smile and he laughed. “The boy’s conscious also seems to either completely gone, or is so faint I can’t even sense him any longer. He was the biggest adversary we were going to have to take down. This makes my job easier. If he’s dead already, I don’t have to take him back to Mathias.”
Hamlock ran down the small hill and joined his master. “I am curious sire. Why is this boy so important to the king? What could one small child do to someone as powerful as Mathias?”
The man scowled at Hamlock “Insolent fool! Do you not pay attention to anything in our briefings?! Ask yourself what we are and what we do Hamlock.”
Hamlock hesitant to answer said, “You are the kings shadow, and I am your servant. We are sent on assassination missions to remove anyone that could possibly stand a chance against the king if they were to fins the correct allies.”
The man began walking, nudging to Hamlock to join him.
“You are correct Hamlock. So you ask why this boy is so important. It is simple. Where there is darkness there is a light to cast that shadow. Blodgaram was that light, and Mathias was that shadow. But what happens when the shadow overcome the light? Then there is just darkness correct? But how can there be only darkness? This is what the Elders believe. So upon Blodgaram’s death, they created a new spark of light within a young child.
This is the same young child that we are chasing. What makes the child special is the unique energy he can harness. The Elders created the boy for the sole purpose of defeating the darkness. He is the gateway between the moon and Earth. He is the embodiment of the moon spirits. And once he figures out how to harness their power. Not even Mathias will stand a chance against him. He is very dangerous to our cause. If he were to meet an Elder, and that Elder to learn that the boy is the moon child, then I imagine the Elder would awaken the spark. We can only hope that never occurs.”
“The, moon child sire?”
“Yes. The legendary moon child that will harness the power of the moon spirits and destroy the dark lord. That prophecy has been spoken of for thousands of years. I will make sure that it never comes true.”

Pen spent the majority of the day in bed, and once it was time for his to rest, Elva sat by his side, and gently sung to him, her voice smooth as silk. Pen loved this girl. More than he had ever loved anyone. Now he was faced with the challenge of telling her how he felt. He knew that he would have to wait until they defeated Mathias, but he wanted more than anything to share his love with her. He pondered this as her song came to an end and he drifted off to sleep, her hand in his.

******

Chapter 7:
The Shadow King

The man entered the town under the cover of nightfall, followed closely by Hamlock. They snuck their way silently into the Unague hotel. The man led Hamlock up the stairs to the first door on the left where he stood.
“Hamlock, I don’t know what’s behind this door. If the boy has awakened his energy, then I will fail. In this case, you are to remove my heart at all costs. It’s the only thing keeping me connected to the dark lord. If I die, he dies, and his daughter’s life will replace his own removing the King’s only safe guard. Am I clear on this?”
Hamlock softly replied, “Yes.” This was followed by a deep grunt and the sound of a blade splitting skin. Hamlock fell to his knees as a sword was pulled from his back.
“Ah, you must be the rider I sensed before.” The man said without turning from the door.
“Who are you?!” Rien yelled at the man’s back.
“I’m sorry but if you wish to die, you’ll have to wait your turn. I have other matters to attend to.” He said as he reached for the door handle.
“Elva! Get out of there!” Rien yelled. The man spun around and grasped Rien by the throat. His grip crushed Rien’s windpipe, making breathing impossible. His sword fell to the ground as he instinctively clawed at the man’s hands.
“Impatiens is such a nuisance. And you killed my servant. I won’t make you wait any longer. I’m certain the dark lord will be pleased to feel your strength.”
Rien was beginning to get dizzy. He hit the man, desperately trying to free himself for his grip. But with each blow, the man’s crushing hands only tightened around Rien’s throat.
The door behind the man swung open. Rien saw the shimmer of Lethian sink into the man’s head from behind. But to Rien’s surprise, it wasn’t Pen wielding the rider’s sword.
Elva pulled Lethian free of the man’s skull. Blood rushed from the man’s open wound.
“Now this is bothersome.” He said calmly. “I can’t kill you Elva. You know that, don’t you.” Elva placed both her hands on Lethian’s hilt and prepared to strike again, but before she could attack the man’s conscious blanketed her own. He held her frozen in motion as he continued to choke the life from Rien, whose body had gone limp.
“I’m sure your father will be happy to have you back.” He said without looking at her.
The man shoved his thumbs into Rien’s throat, breaking his neck. The sound of Rien’s bones snapping sent a chill down Elva’s spine. The man released Rien, he fell to the floor.
“I’m sure his dragon senses his death. So my time here is limited. Two dragons are too much for me. He leaned in close to Elva’s face, and for the first time, she saw him. Horror gripped her as she realized who she was facing. She had expected to find her father’s eldest brother. Pen leaned against the door frame for support. He looked directly into the man’s eyes.
“Leave her alone.” He said
The man looked away from Elva and smiled at Pen. “I see you’re not dead. That is surprising. I’m still not able to sense you’re conscious. Have you perhaps been weakened so much that it isn’t able to protrude the outer limits of your mind? How pathetic. This is the child the dark lord wants so badly.”
Pen glared at the man. “If you find me so pathetic, then why don’t we go outside, where no one else will be harmed, and see just how pathetic I am. Or are you afraid you’ll lose, father.”
“Ah, so you were able to recognize me, even as I am? It matters not. I may have been your father long ago. But you are no son of mine. Fine, I accept your challenge.”
Pen knew his father had been forcibly recruited into Mathias’s army. And he knew that being recruited was a death sentence. But never had Pen thought that Mathias would make his soldiers into shadows. That would be dark, even for Mathias. Pen knew how shadows were created. They were created with the torture of children. The pain they felt as the life was drained from them and put into a subject. The man walking down the stairs behind Pen, was no longer his father. He was the king’s shadow, a nightmare, or what the people of Fienster had come to call, the shadow kings.

Pen held Lethian with his right arm, a task that proved to be a challenge. His body was still weak and he wasn’t able to use magic. He knew he was at a great disadvantage.
“I bet you plan on wasting my time, until your dragon friends arrive. Am I right Pen?”
Pen gritted his teeth. That is exactly what he had planned to do. He didn’t have any other options available to him.
If he couldn’t do that, how would he defeat a shadow?
“You can’t even hold your sword properly! How do you expect to defeat me child?”
“Let me handle this Pen.” Elva’s voice said from behind him. “I wasn’t ready for him the last time, but this time he will pay for killing Rien.”
Pen was reluctant to give Lethian to Elva, but he didn’t have much of a choice. He nodded and handed the sword to her.
She gripped its hilt and readied herself
“He can’t kill me.” With that she lunged forward, swinging Lethian with all her might.
The man blocked it in explosion of spark.
Elva pushed his sword off Lethian and landed her fist on his cheek bone. The blow distracted the man enough for Elva to force Lethian into the man’s abdomen. He laughed as Elva pulled the sword free.
“I might not be able to kill you Elva, but who’s to say I can’t kill Pen?”
“What?”
The man smiled and yelled out. “Destia!”
The spell took effect almost instantly. Pen’s body lurch forward as energy was sapped from it.
“Stop it!” Elva screamed as she swung her sword at the man. But the sword was parried by the man’s. “Stop it now!”
Pen fell to the ground, clutching his chest. His heart was stopping. Without thinking, Elva threw herself on the man. “Please stop!”
He laughed as Pen’s energy was drained and placed inside him. “That boy is better dead to your father than alive!” The man said between laughs. Pen was now completely still.
“No more, please no more.” Elva said in a whisper as tears fell from her eyes.
“What, what is happening?” the man said suddenly. “The flow of energy should have gotten weaker, or at least stopped by now.” He winced as the energy inside him continued to build. “It’s too much for my body to hold.” His sword dropped to the ground. “AH, it won’t stop!”
Elva released the man and stepped away from him. “What are you saying?” The man’s eyes bulged. The veins on his forehead throbbed. He held his head, as if it were ready to burst. He fell to his knees, screaming in pain. Elva stepped back again, ready for whatever was about to occur.
“This is a surprise.” Pen said from behind her. He took Lethian from Elva’s trembling hands. He spun it around in his right hand as he walked towards the shadow.
“If you kill me boy, then…the king will…also die. My life is bound…to his.”
“So what if the king dies. That will make my life a lot easier.”
The man gasped as the energy flow increased. “Do you….not know of Elva’s…curse?” He said
Pen’s eyes widened. He had completely forgotten about the curse.
“Damn you!” He said under his breath as he ceased the energy flow.
The man breathed heavily as he dispelled any excess energy. “So it would seem we are at a standstill. I can’t kill Elva, and you can’t kill me. It was a good move to blanket my conscious. Keeping me immobilized is a wise decision. But I have to wonder, how you were able to live through this.”
Pen didn’t know himself. He was certain he was dying. “Keep quite.” He said sternly.
Pen knew what would happen to Elva if the king were to die.
“What you need to do Pen, is simple indeed.” Pacco said from the door of the Unague. “Zee king cannot die; therefore you cannot kill his shadow. You only need to stop him correct? Well I say that you simply move his conscious to the body of some lesser being.”
Pen whirled around. He didn’t even realize Pacco had made it to the hotel. “How, is that even possible?” He asked
“Remove the shadows conscious from his body as if you were guiding it and put it in something else.” Pacco replied. “However, you must choose wisely. If you put it in something that can die easily, then the shadow’s mind will eventually die and the king will die, and then Elva.”
Pen understood. If he chose an insect, the bug could be stepped on. Then it wouldn’t have mattered if he managed to pull this off. “So it has to be something sturdy with a low level of energy. Does something like that even exist?”
Pacco shook his head. “It truly is an impossible feat. If it were possible, the king would have been defeated ages ago. But you can purify the evil spirit within the body, with a simple spell. It will require vast amounts of energy though. Not even the most skilled magicians can pull it off.”
Pen smiled. “I have a feeling that I can supply the energy needed.”
“Havana.” He said
The energy Pen commanded seeped into the shadows body. The man twitched and convulsed as the magic ravaged the darkness in his body. The magic was fighting directly against Methias. It was the first fight Pen would have against the dark lord.
Pacco was right. The energy needed to supply a spell of this caliber was massive. Pen felt weary after only a few seconds. But something was helping him. He could feel a never ending ocean of energy around him. It empowered him, giving him the strength needed to complete the spell. He let the energy consume him. It felt magnificent.
The man fell to the ground once the spell had been completed. His body was purified of Methias’s dark magic, and to Pen’s surprise, he didn’t feel tired. Purifying the man’s body however, ended his life. Pen was certain though, that death was better than being Methias’s puppet.
“Do you think we can use this spell to destroy Elva’s curse?” Pen asked Pacco.
“I’m sure it would work, but look at the shadow. He didn’t survive the purification. Using this spell on Elva could produce similar results. I recommend we continue searching for other means.”
Pen nodded his head and turned to Elva, who was still crying. “Rien, he’s gone forever. What will Urie do?” As if on cue, Urie and Apophis landed behind them.
“Where is Rien?!” Urie growled.

******

Chapter 8: Viana and Methias

The air outside the Unague was crisp and cool. It felt good against Elva’s skin. She breathed deeply, letting the air out slowly. She sat on the stairs of the old hotel and looked up at the sky. One week had passed since the shadow attacked Pen. One week since the shadow killed Rien. Urie had known he died, even from such a distance. She at first had blamed herself. ”I should have been here to protect him.” She kept saying.
Elva felt her pain more than anyone. Urie and Elva had built a bond of their own over the weeks they traveled together. She tried her best to comfort Urie, but ultimately, it was Apophis she turned to for comfort. Even now the two dragons sat behind the hotel, curled up against one another. It was good, Elva thought, for her to have another dragon to turn to in her greatest time of need. Elva hoped that Urie would one day choose another rider, if it was possible.
Elva ran her fingers over the wooden stairs beneath her as she lost herself in thought. She thought about everything. From the first time she met Pen, to their battle with Granite and his dragon. She also thought about her future. Though to her it looked bleak, she hoped with all her being that Pen would be a part of it. She smiled as Pen entered her thoughts. “I hope he manages to find some way around Methias’s spell.” She thought to herself. If he did, they would be able to spend their lives with one another. She wanted nothing more. She was certain Pen felt the same.
People passed the hotel without looking. They went with their individual lives, and for a moment, Elva was jealous. She knew it was foolish to be, but she couldn’t help herself. It was unfair for them to be able to have such simple lives.
“You look like your deep in thought Miss Helena.” Elena said. Elva didn’t respond right away. She still wasn’t use to using her alias.
“I am Lady Elena. You know about Glen’s problems, as well as mine. You know that we are fugitives. So why, may I ask, do you insist that we continue to use fake names with you.” Elva replied.
Elena sighed and sat next to Elva. “If someone were to question me and ask for your names, I wouldn’t have to lie to them. If they used a truth spell, they wouldn’t find out that you were here.”
Elva nodded, signifying that she understood. Elena was smart. She also had been hiding from not only the king, but the resistance as well. Though she wouldn’t tell Elva, why the resistance wanted her dead, Elva guessed it was for the same reasons she was wanted dead. Elena was most likely a liability. The resistance didn’t think of any one individual’s safety of happiness. They thought of the whole picture. They wanted general safety. If that meant sacrificing a few loose ends along the way, so be it.
This quality of the resistance was much like Methias to Elva. He didn’t care how many he killed to achieve his goals.
“I will tell you this Helena, I don’t agree with the resistance. They want Methias dead, I don’t.” Elena said.
“Why wouldn’t you want him to die?” Elva asked confused. Elena just smiled.
“Methias was once a healer for the resistance back when they were called Viana. Of course Methias was very skilled with magic. He healed all wounds. There are even reports of him bringing the dead back to life. Of course I mean people that die and are resurrected within minutes. But he was incredible. I saw his miracles with my own eyes. He was a kind and wonderful man.
But Viana saw his skill as a potential to be a weapon. They wanted to make Methias use his magic on the battlefield. They had planned to expand Fienster until it engulfed all of the land. They wanted total control. They were greedy. But Methias told them that he would never use his skills to harm people. Viana didn’t take kindly to being told no. They attacked him in his sleep. They planned to turn him into a shadow, or at the very least, a soul eater. But this was back when they were still trying to get the correct formula down.
The dark magicians they used to perform the act were inexperienced. They over did it. They sacrificed thousands of children to the darkness, channeling the pain and torment directly into Methias’ conscious. The children’s pain and anguish overwhelmed him. He went out of control and killed everyone, every last one of the dark magicians. Blodgaram was the first to see the signs of Viana creating human weapons with their dark magic. He knew Methias well. The two of them had been good friends. When the order was given to Blodgaram to kill Methias, he refused. He told them that instead of killing Methias, they needed to find some way to help him.
After all, it was Viana that had created this monster form a man. But Viana made Blodgaram an outlaw for treason. So he was left with the problem of helping Methias to recover. Well you know how the story goes. He confronts Methias, a battle ensues, Methias triumphs. But it was never Blodgaram’s intension to kill, or even fight Methias. That’s why he lost if you ask me.”
Elva was stunned. She had never even considered what could have made her father the way he is. Thinking that Methias was once such a kind person seemed impossible to her. She had always hated him, had always thought that he was a monster. From torturing her mother to beating and killing innocent people right in front of her.
It had always been that way. Not once did Methias show any signs of compassion. He was beyond a shadow. He was darkness in its purest form.
“I never knew. He was always so cruel to me. Even after hearing your statement, I still want him dead. Pen’s father was also forced into becoming a shadow. Pen accepted that and took his father’s life. I will do the same if need be.”
Elena didn’t respond. She only sat looking nostalgic. “I miss him.” She mouthed.
Methias was no longer the man he once was. Elena seemed to be having a hard time accepting that. Elva wished she could comfort her.

******

Chapter 9:My Mother, Narava

Pen stood by the window, staring down and Elva sitting outside the Unague on the front stairs. He tried reaching for her with his mind, but was still unable to perform the action. He gathered their things and left the room. Outside he found Elena sitting next to Elva, and he realized that they shared a slight resemblance.
“Helena, I should be fine to leave now. Since we didn’t manage to make it to the desert before the heat wave, we are going to have to take the long way around. Is that alright with you?”
She stood and embraced him. “It’s just fine with me Glen. But it’s Urie you need to ask. I don’t know if she has decided to come with us, or to go off on her own.”
She stood silent, holding him tightly in her arms.
“Not lovers huh?” Elena said suddenly. Pen’s face turned red, as did Elva’s. She slowly let him out of her grip. “We, we’re not lovers.” She said nervously.
“Why don’t you just tell him dear?” Urie’s voice echoed in her mind.
“You know why Urie. I’m going to die, nothing will change that.” She replied
“And nothing will change the love you feel for him. I can feel it. It grows stronger every time you’re near him. Trust me child. It’s better to allow yourself to experience these pleasures while you can, than to never experience them.” Urie said. Elva wanted to tell him. But she couldn’t no matter how badly she yearned to.
“On a lighter note, I have decided to accompany you on your quest. I’ve thought much about it. Rien would want me to continue onward, to grow from this. Not to sulk and disgrace not only myself, but his memory as well.”
Elva was happy to hear this. She didn’t want to lose Urie. The only one she could truly talk to about her problems.
“I also am glad that Urie has decided to join us on this venture.” Apophis added. “We are ready to go when you three are. Elva, do you want to travel on Urie’s back? Or do you want to continue on mine?” Elva knew the answer as soon as Apophis asked “I want to ride with Pen.”
“Glen, it’s time. The dragons are ready.” They said their goodbyes to Elena and retrieved Pacco from his room. They joined Urie and Apophis on the outside of the town. It was still a bad idea for the dragons to be spotted. So they were careful in hiding. The three of them mounted the dragons and were off in a matter of minutes. They had a lot of ground to cover. Elva wrapped her arms around Pen’s waist and rested her head against his back.
The wind was cooled and whipped at her face. But yet, she was happy to be next to the one she loved.

While they flew, Pen concentrated on exiting his body. It began to frustrate him that he was unable to do so. He felt confined and trapped in his body. No matter how he tried. He did everything Elva had taught him. But nothing worked.
“Elva! I think I need to land for a minute! Tell Apophis and the others!” He yelled to her over the wind. She did as he said and relayed the message to the rest of the crew. They chose to land in between two substantial sized hills. The hills would keep anyone from spotting the group.
“Why have we landed Pen?” Apophis asked. Pen climbed down from Apophis’s back and answered “I think I know why I can’t leave my mind, or use magic.”
“So if you know, why did we land?” Elva asked
“I think I need a ferry.” The four of them looked puzzlingly at Pen.
“A ferry for what?” Elva asked. Pen looked at Apophis “A ferry to the moon.” Apophis stiffened. He stared blankly at Pen. “You want me to ferry your conscious to the moon?” Pen nodded in response.
“You see, when we were battling the shadow, he used a spell to absorb all the energy in my body. It turns out, that energy is never ending, but only when it needs to be. I think it only happens when I am in grave danger. I can’t control it. I remember when you took Elva to the moon, to help her fuel the spell to heal your wounds. She told me that she experienced happiness like no other. That the power emitting from the spirits there was so massive, it brought tears to her eyes. I felt something similar to this when my energy was replenished. I was so full of joy.
The power I felt was endless. But at the same time, I was restricted by this power. Elva had casted the spell while she was in the moon, and the moon spirits helped her to complete the task. I’m a different case though. Something happened to me when the Elder attacked me. He did something to me and I have a feeling the moon spirits will be able to help me. Please, I don’t have much of a choice.”
Apophis bowed his head and closed his eyes, “You must remain completely still. It will take me some time to reach the spirits, and then to return to your body to retrieve you. So be patient.”
Pen nodded and sat on the grass covered ground below. Elva soon joined him, followed by Pacco and eventually, Urie. Ten minutes went by, and Apophis remained motionless.
“Are you sure you want to meet with them Pen?” Elva’s voiced echoed through Pen’s conscious. She grabbed his hand and leaned against him.
“I don’t think I have much of a choice. If I face Methias as I am now, how will I ever be able to beat him?” Then Elva recalled what Elena had said about the dark lord. She hadn’t even considered telling Pen about it. She decided that it was better Methias’s past remained a mystery to Pen. Twenty minutes went by, and Apophis continued with whatever he was doing.
“How long do you think it will take him to complete this task?” Pacco asked
“I don’t know, it only took him a few seconds the last time.” Elva replied.
Just then Apophis’s conscious rushed into Pen’s mind. He was torn away from his body and pulled upwards. He watched as the ground below became further and further away, until he could no longer see himself, or Elva. His conscious was pulled away from Earth and pulled directly into the moon.

Colors of red and blue swirled around him as his conscious materialized into his human shape. Pen had never felt such an exuberating sensation. All around him was an endless void of white. Nothing existed here. Yet, he could feel an overwhelming surge of power from all sides. He could sense consciousness of all the fallen people whom had sacrificed themselves to save others within the power. And there was one conscious he focused on. It was his mother’s. He could recognize the gentle voice whispering the owner’s last words. Her last words were a lie. Deceiving the king and his black hands was the only way she could protect Pen from the king’s wrath. That was the reason she was allowed to enter this place and to live on.
That thought brought Pen comfort and finally allowed him to accept her death. Then another conscious caught his eye. This conscious was much bigger than the others. It moved towards Pen and began to take shape. It chose the shape of a human. The person before him was a woman Pen didn’t know. Her hair was white, shimmering as if flowed weightlessly around her face. Her eyes were crystal blue, her skin pale. She had elegance about her that Pen had never seen. Her small frame drifted closer to Pen until she was no more than a few feet from him.
“You are Pen. Are you not?” The woman asked. Pen nodded in response.
“I am Narava, Elder of the moon, and I welcome you to this place Pen, child of mine. I have been waiting for your arrival for far too long.”
“You, have been waiting for me? Why?” He asked. Narava floated around him, smiling kind and gentle.
“You are the one that the five Elders have chosen to save the land from tyranny Pen. We have gifted you with full access to our power. You are the only one who has ever lived that can draw power from not only the moon, but from life, death, earth, and magic itself. The Elders have given you this in hopes that you will save Methias from himself. But if you manage to defeat Methias, there will be nothing left on the Earth for you to do. You will lose your body to the thing you hold dearest to your heart, as we have. You will become an Elder.”
“Save Methias, why would I want to save Methias?! And why would I want to die for you? I have no desire to be an Elder! Tell me why it has to be me?” Pen inquired. Narava only smiled.
“Methias is not as evil as you think him to be. Though it is true he has committed horrible acts of cruelty, he once was a healer who used his magic for the good of all. He was corrupted by darkness, forced into what he is now. You must understand that he wants to be saved from the madness clawing at his conscious. He has managed to maintain a certain level of control over his darker half. If he didn’t his darker half would lay waste to the entire world.”
Pen yelled “Why is it that you Elders expect me to do this?! I hate Methias, no matter what kind of person he used to be, and when I face him in battle I will kill him. I will show him no mercy no matter what you Elders ask of me. I’m just a puppet to you. Why can’t you just do this yourselves if your all so powerful?! And again I ask you, why would I die for a bunch of worthless gods that can’t even help themselves?!”
Narava stopped in front of Pen. Her eyes fixated on his. She looked upset, not mad, but rather sad.
”I cannot blame you for the hatred you feel. He has taken much from you. He has even taken the future you share with the one you love. But please never think of yourself as a puppet. You are my child, and I love you very much Pen.” She placed her hands on his shoulders and pulled him into a hug.
“I will protect you from Methias. Just do this one thing for us Pen, and I promise to save Elva. I have that power. Allow me to accompany you through your journey and I will be there when you need me most.”
Pen struggled to understand. He knew Elders were not able to leave the places their souls had been bounded to. “How would you be able to come with me Narava?” he asked.
She placed her hand on his chest, and from it came the same white light that flowed around Narava. She removed her hand, revealing a small orb of white light.
“This is my conscious Pen. Though my spirit remains tethered to this place, my mind is free to wander. Carry it with you always. You will be able to draw great strength from me at any given time. I am yours to use my child.”
And with that, the ghastly image of Narava faded into the air, leaving behind small fragments of energy in the shape of crystals floating in the air. The beauty that resonated from Narava was unmatched. Pen found himself crying in happiness as her feelings flowed through him. Never before had he sensed such a pure and honest joy. He knew that this was the energy he felt inside Elva’s conscious. “Thank you.” Pen said, more a whisper than anything.
Her voice surrounded him “You are most welcome my beloved child. Come with me. Let us return to Earth.”
Though he could not see her any longer, Pen could feel Narava. The Elder of life.

Chapter 10:
Fate Is Unkind

“As the world turns, life to, must turn.”
Pen had heard this phrase as a child many times. Though he didn’t understand what it meant. Only recently had the clues to Blodgaram’s phrase began showing. Life goes on. That’s what Pen got from the phrase, his grandfather’s final words in this world.

“Pen?”
Elva’s voice was sweet and kind as it aroused Pen from his dreams. His eyes slid open and where greeted by the cover of darkness. She laid her head on his chest, listening to his heart.
“What happened to you? What, is happening to you?” she asked softly.
“What do you mean?”
Elva sat upright and stared deep into Pen’s eyes. Pen couldn’t see her face, but he knew she was crying. “There’s something inside of you, changing. I can sense it, Apophis can sense it, Urie and Pacco to. You returned from Moon without Apophis’s assistance. No human could ever do that. Are you, human?”
“I am. Or, I think I am.” He replied.
“Pen is destined to become an Elder, and as such is losing his body to the thing he cares for most in this world.” Narava interjected.
“Who? Said that?” Elva asked.
“I wasn’t sure if she wanted me to reveal her to you all, so I kept her a secret.” Pen answered.
“Kept who, a secret?”
“I am the Elder of Life. I have requested companionship with Pen on his journey. And he graciously accepted my request and has allowed my conscious to join him.” Narava answered for Pen.
“You have an Elder’s conscious with you?!” Elva inquired. Pen modestly nodded without speaking.
“What did you mean by Pen is losing his body to the thing he loves most Elder?” Elva questioned.
“Pen will die before too much longer. Once Methias has been defeated, there will no longer be anything left for Pen to do here. His body will vanish and his spirit will become bound to the thing he loves most of all.”
Elva jumped to her feat. “What do you mean he is going to die?!” she yelled. “Why does Pen have to die to save the world? It should be me! Kill me and my father will die also! Pen doesn’t have to suffer for this.”
“It is not my decision, nor my wish to make Pen suffer. He is like my own child. I gave him life and I value his over my own. But this judgment was decided long ago. Long before either of you existed. Back to the time before Methias ever came to power. The Five Elders all agreed that once the world was in need of an Elder on Earth, we would create one with all the repercussions that come along with it.
Sad to say that I got attached to the boy we so arrogantly chose. We should have spent more time planning, more time thinking about how we could stop this war without hurting any innocents. It is far too late for us to take this back. An Elder will always be an Elder. Nothing we do will ever change this. All of my power, and I can’t save the one person left in the world that means something to me.
I love all life, but I adore Pen’s. His essence, his wonder, his mystery, all make him unique. Try to understand Elva. It’s not a punishment, but it also is something I regret every waking moment.” Narava explained without stopping. Pen knew, and had accepted his fate. He knew his spirit would forever remain trussed to the thing he loved most in this world. And that thing was Elva. Pen didn’t view it as a punishment, having to spend eternity bound to this person.
He loved the idea. All the pain in the world was worth it.

By the time Narava had finished, the sun began to rise up from the horizon. Pen sat upright and stretched his legs. He was feeling much better, with the added strength of Narava.
His body felt like it was fully his once again.
He jumped to his feet and laughed. His strength had indeed fully returned. He broke out into a run towards the rising sun, laughing the entire time. The morning air was calm, the smells of Earth were all around him. He was truly happy to be alive. He stopped in a meadow of blooming flowers, the deep blues of the flowers playing a direct contrast to the reds and oranges of the sunrise before him. He knelt and plucked a flower, lifting it to his face, he filled himself with its sweet scent.
Elva and Pacco soon joined him. “Beautiful, is it not?” Pacco said, ending the silence. Pen stood and clasped his shoulder. “We should probably get going. It’s going to take us far longer than we had expected to reach the Resistance HQ.”
Elva nodded and followed the two of them back to the dragons, who were waiting eagerly to start off in the beauty of the morning sun.
“This day will be one I will be sad to see end.” Urie said as they ascended into the cloud speckled sky above.

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Tag der Veröffentlichung: 05.09.2011

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