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# On the Forest Trail ; Reina

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The cool evening breeze whipped past her, tugging at her hair as she sped down the dirt trail behind her home. The trail had been worn from generations of the village children venturing into the forest to find the hidden destination a short ways from the trail. She used her staff with a skill that could only come from years of practice to pole vault over small streams, holes, and various flora that got in her way.

She always loved coming out here to just run and enjoy the feeling of the wind rushing past her face, blowing her hair in the wind like the sail of a mighty ship. The feeling it gave her was a feeling of adventure and excitement; a feeling that was rarely found in Lighthold. A small cinder-squirrel nearby was almost trampled as she flew over it at high speed, causing it to chitter and hiss as its ashen fur started to smoke with tiny, righteous fury. After about twenty minutes of high speed running and jumping, she finally reached her destination, panting with a grin as she thought about how Kainen would've slowed this trip to a crawl.

Her smile faltered though, as she thought about what might happen soon. Kai would be turning sixteen in one week, which meant that if he truly possessed any affinity for his family magic then he would be sent away for training for several years to be prepared as the heir. His family, except for his father, believed him to be a late bloomer in this regard. Usually a child of a magical family would start to show their capabilities, if they possess any, at around the age of thirteen. Sixteen was usually the latest that any would show aptitude for magic, and if they didn't by then it is assumed that they lack the power. His father had seemingly already decided that he lacked any real talent, as Kai had only shown the most basic affinity for bending light. He hadn't even managed to create light, but only was able to move what was already there in very small amounts. Even she had more success with her mother's wind magic than Kai had in his father's. She rarely used it unless she really needed to, however, as her capacity for controlling mana didn't last long and it took her hours to refine enough from the ambient essence to use it again.

She took a final deep breath as she leaped back up, having fully recovered from her sprint. The small alcove she was looking for was well hidden. The village tale was that Fey lived in these woods and hid various magical places from unwelcome visitors. Thankfully, children were always welcomed by the Fey, so long as they didn't mistreat the sacred groves. It was believed that the fey thought adults were impure and no longer could be trusted due to their tarnished view of the world around them. Some adults did find their way every once in a while, but it was usually the outliers of society and the weird ones who didn't fit in. These Fey were strange creatures indeed.

A few minutes of searching later, she found a single silver oak leaf, which was a surefire sign that the Grove entrance was under the large canopy of trees and overgrown brush up ahead. A few nicks and stumbles later, she crawled through the dense foliage to find herself in her favorite place. A large pond of crystal clear water lies in the center of a beautiful alcove of silver-leaf oaks, flowers, fruit trees, berry bushes, and many kinds of small animals and colorful butterflies. The pond seemed to be fed from under the earth somewhere and always had a cool refreshing temperature and soothing taste. She happily walked over and sat her staff down by the edge of the pond to take a sip. As she kneeled down to take a drink, she was met face to face with a bright green-eyed monster in the water.

"Gah!" She exclaimed as she fell backward and scrambled to her feet, picking her staff back up as she did. She took a fighting stance and thoughts rapidly flew through her head whether she should fight or flee. Before she could make that decision, however, the monster started to rise out of the water. Something about how it exited the pool confused her though. It almost seemed to be… scared? That couldn't be right. There was no way that scaly dark monster was scared of her. As it fully uncovered itself from the shadows of the pond, she got a better look at it. It had dark smoky gray Quartz scales with a large reptilian face and a bulky humanoid-reptile hybrid body. It was not as large as she had first thought, being only a few inches taller than her, and shorter than Kainen. It held one arm with the other and had a downcast look on its face as it spoke to her with a surprisingly high pitched, yet somehow gravelly, voice.

"I- I'm sorry… I didn't me- mean to frighten you." Still looking downcast as he finished speaking, he tiptoed from one foot to the other, seemingly to comfort himself. It took her a few moments to gather her thoughts, as she was still reeling from her fight or flight response. When she finally snapped back into her normal thinking process, she realized that this person was no monster.

"That's alright, I just didn't expect to see…" She trailed off, not sure what to call him and then just decided to take the obvious option, "Sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Reina Wrynn, what's yours?"

"Um, my name is Jem, but you can call me J if you want,"

"It's nice to meet you J. Where are you from anyway? You definitely aren't from around here," He looked nervous as she asked, but after seeing her trusting smile and innocent curiosity, he relented.

"I'm from Zachran. In the Eastern Range."

Her smile grew stiff and in her mind it finally clicked- This was a Dragonkin. Her body tensed slightly as she recalled what happened to her father. She recalled how he was injured and how it had caused him to retire from the guard. A group of red scaled dragonkin of the Western Range had attempted to steal and burn the village when she was still barely a toddler. Her father had led the charge with the rest of the Ironhawks and managed to quell the attack. In doing so, he was hurt badly and couldn't even swing a sword properly anymore. This Dragonkin, Jem, said he was from Zachran, the capital of their nation. As far as she knew, he could be royalty.

Her brow creased as the pervasive thoughts and worries continued. These thoughts were an uncontrolled storm in her mind until she was interrupted by him speaking once more, "Are- Are you okay Reina?" A look of genuine concern covered his draconic face and she felt her paranoia dissolve.

"I'm alright… I just let my thoughts get away from me. That doesn't matter though," she said as she smiled again, this time without the strained worry added in, "What brought you all of the way here anyway? Isn't it like a thousand miles from Zachran to here?"

He looked down again and played nervously with his slightly tattered, and still soaking wet clothes, "I… ran away from my home…"

"Why don't we sit and talk about it?" She walked over to a nearby patch of soft grass and sat down, patting the ground next to her as an invitation. He still seemed nervous, but was more willing now to trust this strange half elf girl that he had only just met. Something about her just put him at ease and he continued to find himself trusting her and wanting to talk more. He took a deep breath before speaking, knowing that this would be a long story.

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# Some time later; Reina and Jem

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"So your family tried to force you into leading your house, and you didn't want to so you left?" She internally chuckled, thinking that now she knew two lordlings that didn't know how easy they had it.

"Well, it was more than that, but that's the gist of it I guess."

"Well what else is there to it, Smoky?" He half-cringed and laughed at the same time at the nickname she had taken to calling him while he was telling his story. This girl definitely doesn't care for propriety. He wasn't used to such informality, and he honestly found it refreshing.

"My family aren't just noble Zachranians. They are a secondary branch of the royal family. Which means if I chose to pursue the rulership position as my mother and father wish, I will have to," he paused, taking a breath to steady his nerves, "I would have to kill all of my cousins that are before me in the inheritance line for the platinum throne." He elected to stop talking, wanting to gauge her reaction and thoughts. When he looked over, he saw a horrified expression on her face.

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

"Wait, are you telling me that they are fine with making their child kill his own family?! That is insane! Not just insane, that's pure evil!" She sat back, trying to wrap her head around the concept that was so foreign to her.

"There is a reason your people call practices like that draconian," He grimaced as he finished the phrase, "I've always despised that stereotype. Mainly because it's largely true, and I hate to be lumped in with the rest of my kind. I like to try and be good, despite my instincts and the teachings they forced on me. I abhor their ways."

"Wait, so back up a minute… Why does your family think you should do this? Is this something every branch family shoots for, or is there some special reason?" She was genuinely curious as she asked, but she saw him tense and close himself off slightly at the question. Instead of prodding further, she offered him a sugar-plum from the nearby tree. He accepted it with a quizzical expression.

"You do know that my kind only eats meat, right?" Her face flushed and she felt a wave of embarrassment rush over her at the realization.

"Oh, um, I'm sorry. I didn't know. Well if you don't want it, I'll eat it. The fairies don't like when you let their gifts go to waste." She put her hand out, but he didn't hand it over. He sheepishly looked at it, and then to her.

"It can't hurt to try right?" He said, before taking a bite so large, the entire plum went down in one gulp. After she got over the initial surprise of the action, she burst into laughter and all of the tension from their previous conversation was gone. He shortly after joined her, although less boisterous, until they both heard a faint noise of a voice nearby.

"Rei! Where are ya girly? Your mum is gettin' worried about ya!" Her dad was shouting and searching for her, causing her to jump up quickly.

"Oh crap, I forgot how late it is. I need to go. I'll come back tomorrow, okay?" She then gave him a quick wave and a cheeky grin before running off to the hidden exit.

He sat there motionless, digesting the large sugar-plum and going over the situation that had just occurred in his head.

"Why did I do that?" He mumbled to himself, unsure of what caused him to act so irrationally, eating a fruit which he knew would cause him indigestion later that night. As he looked at the sky, he decided that he wouldn't be moving on to another town for at least one more night.

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# Lighthold Manor; Kainen

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Kainen was in a deep sleep in his quite comfortable bed after a night of boring tactics and leadership studies. Under his thick blanket and pillow he had something hidden and clasped in his hands, even while he slept. The amulet that he had found earlier that night fascinated him to such a degree that he didn't want to even sit it down, for fear of a servant finding it and telling his father. Kainen's dreams were normally what you would expect, being filled with thoughts of he and Reina leaving Lighthold together to find some new adventure.His dreams were not typical tonight. Flashes of massive, dark wings cascading shadows onto the landscape of the hillside. Fire spread amongst the village homes and many of the people he grew up knowing were lying dead or unconscious on the ground. His vision flickered once more to a stone chamber. The dark musty room under the earth feels as if it has been sealed for centuries and something with it inside. A whispered voice echoed out from underneath a sigil on the floor, filling the chamber with shadows and a heavy Aura filled with power,

"Boy… The visions I have granted you are a gift. A promise. Your village, your hillside, and your family will all burn… unlessss," the voice trailed off at the end, hissing the word as it ended the taunt.

"Unless what? What can I do to save them? Please, you have to tell me!" Kainen was mortified and in a state of near panic as his mind believed what the voice said. In the dreamlike state he was in, he didn't seem to question the words spoken to him or what creature the voice belonged to. The creature, understanding that it's position was stronger than Kainen's, spoke with dread and certainty,

"A reign of dragons will rule over this land… unless I stop them. You must find my chamber. You must unseal this accursed sigil, and free me-" The voice paused, seeming to gather itself once more and keep its emotions in check, "I am Vazarak, the Patron of Shadows, a guardian of those who stand outside of the light. If you free me, I will grant you the power you need to stop what is to come. If you do not… Well, you understand the consequences by now. You have one full cycle of the moon to make the right choice. Choose wisely, Kainen Lighthold."

Kainen shot upright in his bed, covered in a thick layer of sweat that saturated his clothes and sheets. His mind was racing and he fought to remember all of the details of the quickly fading dream. He grabbed his journal from his nightstand and scribbled down what he could before it slipped away, and even managed a crude drawing of the sigil underneath before it all faded,

"Vazarak, the Patron of Shadows. One cycle of the moon, which should mean one month. What in the hells is this complicated symbol that was on the floor…" He trailed off as he heard a soft knock on his door. He quickly put away his journal and put on the amulet, hiding it under his shirt, "One second!"

As he opened the door, he saw one of the several servants that his house employed, Maya Huron. She smiled politely at him and bowed slightly, making sure not to spill any of the contents of the breakfast tray she held in front of her, "Good morning, Young Master Kainen. Would you like breakfast now or later?"

"I'll eat now. Thank you, Maya." He opened the door and gestured for her to enter so she could place the tray on his table. When she respectfully bowed and turned to leave, he called out quickly, "Actually, Maya, do you have a moment? I wish to ask you a question, if that is alright." She looked confused, but gave a quick bow and replied,

"Of course, Young Master. I am always at your service."

He pulled out a chair and gestured for her to sit as he sat in the chair across from hers. She took her seat as she was bid and patiently waited for him to speak his thoughts, not minding the break from the kitchen cleanup duty she would otherwise be returning to. He took a breath and hesitantly broached the subject on his mind,

"Maya, do you ever have dreams? Or more specifically, nightmares? Ones that feel… more real, more substantial." He watched her expression, wondering whether or not this was a mistake.

"Young Master, everyone has dreams and nightmares that feel real every once in a while. They are just dreams when you wake up however. I have heard stories of those with the magic to see far from themselves and sometimes into the past or future, but those are just stories. If someone really was like that, they would be a mighty Magus indeed." She gave him a smile, hoping that she comforted the obviously distressed young lord. She always liked Kainen as he was the least pretentious of the house she served. Even the younger sister always seemed to have an air of superiority that was only getting stronger by the day. Maya actually had a crush on Kainen when she first entered the service, as they were both the same age and seemed to get along well. She knew it wouldn't lead anywhere however, with her being a simple farmer's daughter and a servant.

"Maya? Are you okay?" Kainen was staring at her with a slightly worried expression. She realized she had been daydreaming when she should have been paying attention to him. Whoops.

"Yes, I'm fine. Apologies, Young Master. I simply had caught Ades' attention for a moment." Kainen laughed, always finding the phrase comical for some reason. Ades, the God of Dreams, Fortune and the Heavens, has been blamed for people zoning off during conversations for ages. It was always easier when you could blame someone else for your loss of interest.

"If that's the case, have the heads of staff been working you too hard? Do I need to remind them that you all deserve a full night of rest just as we do?"

"No, Young Master. I sleep well. Thank you. I simply lost focus and got distracted. I apologize for my lack of decorum." He smiled at her and put his hand on hers on the table.

"Don't worry, I'm not bothered by a little day dreaming. I do it myself more than anyone I know. My father hates when I am not paying full attention to him, 'Like a proper Lord should'." He laughed and she couldn't help but giggle as well. He squeezed her hand slightly and then stood up, helping her to her feet as he did,

"Why don't you stay in here for a bit while I go to start my morning training and if anyone bothers you, tell them I ordered you to clean up and organize my bookshelf."

She smiled but shook her head, "I appreciate your kindness Young Master, but I do not wish to burden my fellows with the work I should be doing. Thank you for your consideration. Unless you truly wish me to do as you said and clean your things?" She made sure not to make any assumptions as that would be considered rude, even though she doubted Kainen would mind.

"That's alright, do as you please Maya. Oh, also please when we are not in front of others, address me as Kainen." She blushed slightly, not sure what to make of the comment, and quickly curtsied in response before leaving the room.

Kainen closed the door, smiling as he saw her leaving down the hallway. He began to eat the breakfast that she brought and his thoughts drifted back to the dream he had. Was it real? Is that voice telling him the truth? If it is true, he only had one month to find a way to stop his home from being destroyed. Why him? Out of everyone, he figured Reina or his father would be chosen for something like this. Maybe this Vazarak picked the wrong person and just chose to commit to it after seeing how incompetent its choice was. Deep in his thoughts, he finished his meal and then began to get dressed into his usual practice attire, still stained with grass marks despite the scrubbing and cleaning attempts made by the servants. His smile came back as he got dressed, knowing that this was when he would get to go see Reina. He planned to finally beat her today. Somewhere deep inside, he just knew today was the day.