--reathas perspective--

After spending a few years in the mines, I've come across a boy who is interesting, to say the least. He has a knack for staying out of trouble, always keeping his head down, like a wuss. He’s skinny and his hair is pitch black. His face is pale and it looks like a half dead fish. He’s so filled with the idea that his life has ended already. Today, I'll show him something amazing, I'll show him the cave I found.

Most of the time when we head off to the mines, instead of hammering at the walls in search of stones, I play around. I Skip over puddles of nasty worms, pretending as if they were puddles of lava! Sometimes I climb on the light crystals, using them as monkey bars. When it's time for dinner, I give the guards the stones I find when wandering around. Their eyes would bulge out of their skulls when I brought one out. In return, they would give me a lot of food! Even soft bread and warm soup! I think everyone should try to live a life of fun and games, Instead of working their lives away and look dead all the time.

On the day I was going to look for the skinny kid I found him getting his hands clasped together by Blitus, a big ugly poop head. The boy then dropped a rock, most likely his dinner token. “Hey YOU! GIVE IT BACK TO HIM!” Quickly I picked up a rock and threw it at him. *tink* damn it, it fell short. When I threw it their way Blitus turned just to laugh at me and pick up the stone the skinny boy dropped.

“HAhahah a little girl dinks she can beat me?” In his stupid voice, Blitus snorted at me. He soon turned and smacked the kid with his meaty hands. Ouch.. that looked like it hurt.

“See girl, if Kai can't fight me what makes you think you can?” The fatty just turned around and left after taking kais stone.

“I’m sorry he hurt you. He’s a bully just forgit about him. I'll show you somethin cool.” Running over to Kai, I flipped him over just to see his face, his nose was smashed in and brown eyes that sparkled in the blue luminescence. I realized I was staring at him for too long, so I pulled on the tip of my rag to wipe his snot and blood off his face.

“Thanks uhh what's your name?” his voice shot up at me.

“I'm Reatha but most people call me Rea,” I responded giving him a smile. Soon we were off, traveling through the cave. This time I didn't care to play, I just walked around and talked with Kai. Taking my time to loop him around in circles before we got to where I wanted, just so I could spend more time with him.

When we reached the place I let go of his hand and slipped into the crevasse within the rock. Staring down into the darkness with a smile on my face, I began to plummet along with Kai.

--kais perspective--

I fell for a short period before I broke the surface of the water. When I opened my eyes deep in the water I saw something I never had before. Sure the crystals in the cave were a sight, but this took my breath away!

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Looking deeper into the clear water I found more crystals humming and extending their dark blue light into the pool. Illuminating all the fish in the pond. When I rose my face, I saw that what was usually the ceiling of a dark cave, to actually be an expanse of crystal filled sky.

I  made my way to the shores with Reatha, I found the ground scrape filled with trees and grass. Many different kinds of animals that shouldn't be in caves walked around. This place was a pocket of life in the earth.

I saw rabbit-like creatures and a few trees made of crystals. Not far off there was a pile of stones that was as large as a fist, the same stones we traded for food.

“What is this place?” I simply couldn't hold back my curiosity. I went limp falling to my knees. In the past 12 years of my life, I've been drained of all, my feelings and my body. Tortured to no end and starving most of the nights.

“Ha, I dunno. Found it when playing in the caves.” Reatha simply looked at me as I took in the sights.

As we approached the stone pile, it began to rise, huge hulking feet lifted, causing debris to fly everywhere, the rocks created a large golem. Blue runes ran down its skin, to its dull stony face and connected to its large rocky fists.

“Who dares to trespass in my realm?!” The golem yelled in a grinding echo. His stone eyebrows raise as he stares us down.

“We come from above.” reatha grips my hand and I notice her legs shaking with fear and nervousness.

“I KNOW THAT!” his voice thundered over us. “Tell me your name children and why you come to my home.” the golem bashed his fist into the dirt, uprooting many plants and demolishing the grass floor.

“My name is Kai and this is Reatha. We have come here for some stone, so we can trade it for food upstairs.” I stood in front of reatha and pushed her behind me.

“What? You mean to steal my life stones? The putrid bandits atop who run your so called mines are only stealing snippets of my stones yet you, Kai wishes to directly take them from me? It takes years to produce my kind of enchanted stones and you think I'll allow you to take them when you ravage my true home? LEAVE THIS PLACE AT ONCE.” The golem began to thrash and send rocks flying at us. Reatha gripped my arm and we both rushed away quickly, not waiting for him to kill us.

She led me back into a small hole in the wall and we hurriedly scampered up it. Space was so tight we begin to crawl and climb up at a slow pace. The golem chased us all the way to the edge of the hole before he began hammering on the surface of the wall. The caves shook and rocks began falling from the ceiling.

Once we reached the top of the overhang, that was when it all went horribly wrong. I placed my hand over reaching for Reatha’s arms to find her not even climbing anymore. “Reatha! Where are you?” I called down into the abyss, seeing if she was there, not a single trace of her was down there. My concentration was failing, I reached further toward the overhang, the rocks above me began to give way and the cave collapsed. Rocks came tumbling down and as the light was closed off to me I fell backward further into the dark hole. All I could feel was a terrible pain on my right arm where a jagged rock impaled itself into me.

--Xerin’s War--

“Hold fast men! Don't let the bandits beat you!” I stood tall atop a wooden makeshift tower. Yelling orders into the crowds of men. A wall of shields and spears faced the bandits who were armed with swords and axes. For days this battle has been going on only to slow my advance to the walls. “We don't have time for this!” I ran towards my tent and I picked up my twin swords. Now then, I will have to show these belligerent outlaws who they're truly dealing with.

I ran into the front lines ready with swords in hand. “Honor guard move! Legions move! I will clear a path down the center and we will split their forces apart!” I yelled while approaching.

Everyone quickly cleared the path as I took to the field. Everyone on the kingdoms side knew how deadly it was to stand in my way. But the bandits, they could only laugh thinking as if one soldier couldn't change the tides of battle. This was their final mistake.

I thrust my blades into the air and channeled my aura. All the bandits began to flee. “White Obliteration - stance one” I pierced my swords into the ground, the world around me turned white, blinding those who looked. For miles, one could hear the sounds of air tearing and the ground being torn asunder. When the flash was gone, none stood. There was a huge gash in a straight line ahead of Xerin.

“Honor guard, legion's, ADVANCE! CUT THEM DOWN!” I shouted as I sheathed my blades.

Soon the groove in the soil was filled with the boots of soldiers, the bandits were past forgiveness. With a single attack from the commander and a few maneuvers the battle had finally been won. It was now a matter of gathering the few stragglers and capturing the bandit stronghold. As for what I might find inside? I had no clue.