I missed them already I decided, feet barely touching the ground as I moved. I missed my family already. I knew I must leave, the elders had told me that I must. But I still missed them, and it wouldn't change. The world was a new experience for me, the wide expanses of land exhilarating and the strange buildings I saw exciting to see. I moved easily over the ground, barely stopping as I strode forwards on the road with my eyes dancing at the new sights. A large village lay ahead, one of the many I had already passed through, the sun was setting and I could see a inn awaiting me from where I walked. I would sleep there tonight.

As I entered the village I attracted glances as I passed, but this was normal, another feature of being different in this world. Arriving at the inn I spoke to the woman in charge, however the place was full with the rooms taken. It was surprising, I had not thought that this was a busy town. But even as I looked I saw people moving around, men carrying wood and women excitedly talking in groups. Standing outside the inn I wondered what to do, but as I stood there a cheerful voice spoke to me. "Hi there!". Looking towards the voice, I saw a young woman standing there smiling at me. "Hello" I quietly greeted her. "You couldn't get a room here?" she asked, and I nodded "Yes, they are full". She smiled widely "That's great then! I have a room with two beds, and if you pay for half the room you can have the other bed!". Thanking her, I accepted the offer.

She stuck her hand out "I'm Amy", I took her hand "Linda" I introduced myself. She grinned, "You here for the festival?" however I shook my head "No, I'm travelling" but she grinned in return "That's exciting! You have to tell me what place's you've already seen!" I smiled back at her, she had a infectious grin and was very easy to make friends with. The night was a success, the festival lasting after the light disappeared before we collapsed in our beds and fell asleep. When I woke the next morning, Amy was already up and had left the room, I dressed before taking my belongings and going downstairs. But as I moved to leave the inn, I heard Amy's voice behind me "Hey Linda! Wait up!". I turned around and there stood Amy, her mouth covered in crumbs as she munched on toast. She swallowed before speaking "You are heading east right?" I nodded and she grinned "That's great! I'll come with you" "Ah" I said, "Aarag?" and she nodded.

We travelled east, Amy talking and prodding me with questions as we walked. She blithely spilled her lifestory as we walked and the distance was covered quickly. She spoke of her parents dying, her grandfather taking her in and teaching her his craft. She spoke of the essence of the air and of flame, the time she raised a rabbit. She told me how her grandfather died and she lived alone, her home falling into disrepair. As we walked armies would pass, men marching in matching colors and knights on horses. She talked of her village being razed, her home destroyed as she fought the goblins until finally she was forced to run. She knew of the festival and had travelled to see it, but when I asked her how could she smile after this happened to her, she said "How can I not? I'm alive, the world is alive, and this is exciting!".

In this manner we travelled for weeks, staying in inns and sleeping under the stars when the time called for it. It was a simple life, free and without worries, but we had a destination. Each village we passed looked worse and worse, the people haggard and the roads well worn. Eventually we turned off the main path, our destination didn't lie down the current road. As we walked on the small paths without seeing people, Amy would hum a song and I would listen, her voice pleasing to the ears. She would often marvel over my hair, stroking the soft length and saying I look very pretty. But then she would smile wryly and say "And next to you, I'm plain" to which I would disagree, she had her own charm.

As we navigated the lesser worn paths they eventually began to fade, sometimes barely visible as we moved over the ground. Trees began to appear, reaching around us as we walked beneath their branches. We wondered if we had taken the wrong path somewhere, but just as we are about to turn back we would see the path reappear. Treading forwards on the path we were surprised to see a small cabin sitting in a clearing amidst the thick trees, our path running past and continuing forwards to the other side of the clearing. We could hear grunting from where we stood, and curious we drew near to investigate. Behind the cabin stood a young man, swinging a sword grunting with exertion as his lean body glistened with sweat. As Amy poked me in the ribs with her elbow and gave me a small grin, she called out to him before I could stop her and hearing her voice he lowered his sword as he looked at us. Holding the sword loosely by his side he approached us "Hey" he panted, his chest glistening with sweat. Amy broke into a conversation with him, happily pumping him with questions, listening intently before asking another in that intense way she has. His answers were short and brief, but she didn't mind as she asked him another question.

When he was a child his parents died in a fire, and his uncle picked him up to raise him. The neighbors were nosy and because his uncle was short tempered they started to cultivate nasty rumors, sick and frustrated of the rumors they told, his uncle left with him and created a new home here. They lived by what they gathered from the forest, and sold what they hunted to buy what they couldn't get themselves. Living here, his uncle taught him the sword, and not long ago his uncle died of old age. However Sam continued living the same lifestyle.

The sky was getting dark as Amy asked questions and Sam patiently answered until finally I broke in, impatient to find somewhere to make camp "We need to go". "Awww" Amy whined, then she quickly asked "Why not stay here tonight?" and I blinked. I didn't think Sam was dangerous, but I didn't think he had the room for us either. I shook my head "No, we would be a hassle" at which Amy pouted. However Sam scratched his head as he awkwardly said "You could stay the night". As I thought it over Amy clapped her hands gleefully "Yipee!" and I caved in. Sam showed us his place and I was relived to see that he indeed did have somewhere we could sleep. In the corner of the cabin was a pile of furs which Sam told us he had intended to sell, however he didn't mind if we slept in them for the night. Unstrapping my bow from my back, we placed our belongings to the side gratefully. Amy liked her staff, but she confessed that she found it annoying sometimes.

The sky was growing dark, but the day was still warm and as we settled in Sam awkwardly spoke, his bare chest still covered in sweat as he laid his sword to the side. "Uh, I'm going to rinse off in the river. I'll be back in 10 minutes". After he left the Cabin, Amy immediately hissed towards me "Lets watch!". However needless to say; We didn't watch.

The night was uneventful and the morning had us up early. As we prepared to go, Sam stood by the door awkwardly as he watched us shoulder our packs. He fidgeted as he watched us before finally asking his question "Do you mind if I come with you?". I shrugged, I didn't care. But Amy immediately grabbed his hands and shook them as she nodded grinning "Yes! Of course you can!". Standing by the door, I asked him "Even while knowing where we're going?" but he simply said "Yes" and I was satisfied. With that, Sam joined our party.

As we travelled, Amy would like to talk to Sam and he would answer her questions, I was relieved at this for while Amy was great fun, I preferred the peace and quiet to look at the nature about us, my steps were quiet and my movements flowed while Amy rushed as she moved. The days passed as we travelled, Sam and Amy often together while I walked ahead, my eyes alert for movement and when we made camp I would gather the plants or hunt our food. While Amy was good in a fight, she had nothing like the fine control and precision I exhibited with my bow.

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The lands began to grow barren as we grew closer to the castle, runted trees became the norm and patrols of monsters often passed. During those times we hid, for our goal was not to fight them. Raptors flew in the air, screeching their rage as their wingbeats pushed their predatory bodies through the skies. They would see us sometimes before we could hide out of sight. In those times I would take out my bow and hide in the leaves of the trees, watching the raptor as it flies above us looking for us before firing a single arrow delivering death. In this manner we progressed closer to our destination.

I could see it happen as we walked, Amy and Sam grew closer to each other. Sneaking off together when they thought I wasn't looking, but I didn't mind. My only concern was that they would fall into trouble, so I would follow them to ensure that nothing disturbed the two as they huddled together watching the stars. When they came back, Amy's face would be face and her face grinning, while Sam merely looked embarrassed. I found it adorable, but there would be no time soon. We were drawing near.

We climbed a rocky hill and as we looked over we observed a colossal battle, giants throwing boulders and goblins swarming across the ground as waves of men clashed against them in mortal combat. Lying around the battlefield were the bodies of man and creature alike, more than three high. The fight was constant and forever ongoing. We left them behind as we moved on, this was not our fight.

Food grew scarce and our rations were low, the rare animal we found was barely enough to subsist on and often we would look back to the forest with sighs of regret. There was no longer a path to follow, the dry bare dirt broke under our feet as we walked, blackened stumps where trees used to be. The air was dry and carried a eternal scent of smoke, but we had water aplenty and our legs were strong as we continued. We could already see our objective in sight.

The black mountain towered above us, high and imposing with black smoke bleached from the center in a act of defiance. Our destination and journey was near its end, my task would soon be done. Creatures swarmed across the ground here, and this is where we began to fight. My arrows killed those who flew and Amy was quick to create explosions as the beasts howled and ran towards us with yellow foam streaming from their mouths. We made steady progress, Sam protecting our backs as we fought through the hordes until finally after hours of fighting we broke through and stood before a black doorway, embedded in the mountain itself.

Aarag's Palace.

The home of the demon lord.

Four giants stood guard, standing at the gate with heavy wooden clubs in hand, handles as large as a boulder and the end larger still. Behind us the monsters refused to draw near, fear evident in their faces. As we approached the four giants they raised their weapons towards us and bellowed their challenge. We spoke quietly as we made our plans, Sam being the decoy as I worked as the distraction with arrows stinging at their flesh. Amy was the one who would take them down, with her explosions ripping holes in the walls and tearing at their flesh. As the giants charged, we fought back.

The fight was long, each giant enraged as their companions fell to our party. The ground trembled as the clubs impacted the ground, raising clubs of dust where none could see. Each thud I could see Amy's heart leap, fear that Sam hadn't dodged it. Fear unfounded. Her explosions ripped at the air and destroyed our surroundings as she cast them, the giants howling when her explosions struck home. As the last giant fell, Sam collapsed to the ground completely winded, the ground about him covered in craters. The four guardians had fallen. The final step in our journey was in reach.

We stepped inside the castle, a long black hallway with pillars set at interval's breaking up the monotony. As we walked we kept a eye out for traps and monsters, but there were none. We passed doorways, corridors, but the destination was clear to see. The throne at the end of the entrance I had been told, the place of our final battle. Amy and Sam gripped hands as they walked, nervousness clear in their actions as they looked about, but I knew that we wouldn't fail here. I knew it as clearly as I knew the color of the sky. Aarag lay ahead, and the final battle was at hand.

We entered a large hall, the roof high, the room wide and long, pillars lined the sides, flaming torches lighting the room. His throne sitting at the end distastefully cast in blackened gold. His sprawled figure spread on his throne, he sneered down at us. "A hero three I see" as we raised our weapons and prepared to fight. Stretching, his bones cracked as his limbs moved, black skin rippling and horns reaching high above his head. His thin tail whipped behind him as he climbed off his throne and stepped before us. A grin on his face. "This will be a short fight" he promised as he flexed his claws.

The fight was hard, long and we very nearly lost. Sam saved us more than a few times as I moved about the pillars, hiding behind them and shooting with what arrows I had left. I would have no arrows remaining when the fight ended I knew. But I didn't hesitate to shoot, didn't second-guess as I strung my bow. Before Aarag Sam danced and spun, his sword moving to deflect the blows meant to maim and kill. While Aarag was distracted by Sam, Amy fired explosions towards Aarag and when it became evident they were ineffective she fired on the roof itself, creating cracks that spread jaggedly. As the first rock began to fall, she screamed at Sam to move and he danced out of the way as Aarag looked up. Chunks of rock fell, slamming into the ground and knocking Aarag down. He bellowed in rage as he began to get up, his flesh undamaged from the assault. As he flexed his muscles, a single great chunk ripped free from the roof. As he began to move in great bounding strides unknowing of the danger above, it slammed heavily on his head.

Stunned, he collapsed to the ground and dazedly stared ahead, thoughts vacant of the danger about him. My last arrow was fired as Sam began to move in, his legs churning as he leaped on Aarag's chest. Raising his sword high, he bellowed before pushing it in, using what strength he had left to send it into Aarag's heart. Aarag gasped and shuddered, his claws tearing the ground as he thrashed in pain. Cracked rock fell as Sam knelt over his impaled sword breathing heavily, Amy yelling in excitement at the victory. But jagged cracks ran through the roof and the rocks began to fall in earnest, and knowing what to come next. I could only watch.

A single chunk fell as Sam climbed to the ground, catching him from behind and knocking him flat. As he moaned in pain another chunk crushed his leg. Screaming, Amy ran to him in terror and fright. Looking about at the falling rock Sam saw the danger and gasped "Go", but Amy refused as she frantically pulled at the massive rock lying on his leg. Her explosions were useless, to try would be to kill Sam. She knew this, and as she cried she held Sam in her arms. The palace was collapsing, the power that created it no more. And I knew this was the end.

As the roof fell, I hugged them both. My only human friends.