Chapter 1

A day in Crescent Ridge

Hot embers fall from the thatch roof above onto Uriah`s face, startling the young boy awake. He quickly opens his eyes and stumbles out of the bed and rises to his feet grasping for a necklace on his nightstand. Swiftly the entire room is ablaze around him, the hot air scorching his lungs as he attempts to take a breath.

"Mother, Father!"He calls out to them with the bit of breath he was able to take, yet he gets no response for the precious bit of wasted breath.

He attempts to find the door, the billowing flames beginning to surround him . Uriah drops to his knees as the smoke and heat make it nearly unbearable to stand much less breath. As he crawls through the room he finally reaches the door just as the rafters above him begin to creak and crack before they begin to fall. summoning every ounce of strength he has Uriah shoves the door open and he tumbles into the main room of the home.

He finds his predicament to not have improved much in the main room as the flames continue to follow him through the home, his visibility worsening with every second as the smoke gets blacker and blacker and his eyes continue to burn from the heat.

He stumbles through the darkness grasping at the walls in an attempt to find the way out, he begins to fumble through the room as every breath he takes becomes harder then the last he nearly falls unconscious until he hears a voice call from with in the flames and it snaps him back from the brink."Uriah ! Uriah you're almost there, don't give up!"

He manages to look up and see the form of a young woman, Bathed in fire yet not harmed by its flames."Your almost out Uriah Keep moving!"She says to him again as wings of flames burst from the figures back.

With a large wave of her wings a surge of hot air hits Uriah, launching him through a wall of flames to the other side of the room. Reeling from the blast he manages to find himself in a section of the home yet untouched by the encroaching flames and is able to stand and take a strong breath into his scorched lungs.

Glancing around through his red eyes he is finally able to see the door to the outside world and the safety of his village. He rushes to the door to find it barred from the outside, as if some force or creature is bracing it with all of its weight.

As the flames begin to surround him once more Uriah takes one final breath of the relatively fresh air around him and takes a few steps from the door ready to charge through it. Uriah grits his teeth and charges at the door a faint glow shines from the gem of the necklace he still holds in his hand as he hits the door with all of his might. As his body slams against the door the force that bound it seems to falter back and he tumbles out into the darkness.

As he falls out of the door he is stunned for a moment as he falls into what feels like a shallow pool, the smell of smoke and the fire quickly replaced by the scent of salt, and the cool winds of the ocean twisting over him.

Standing to his feet he looks to see himself surrounded by the waves of the ocean crashing around him on all sides a strong storms beginning to rage around him.In the distance he sees a the silhouette of a ship, Large and mighty, it grows ever closer to him until a bolt of lightning flashes around him showing the ship in all of its might.

Its bow adorned with the skull of a large beast and large rib-like bones adorning its hull. On its highest mast flies a blue flag with a black dragon adorning its design. The ship seems to halt next to him , its decks raise high above him as the three rows of gun ports open and a volley of cannon fire rings out from the ship.

The fire from the explosions illuminate the ocean like a fright flash of daylight for a mere moment and Uriah is able to make out the form of a great beast in the distance. Its shape was that of a four legged animal with mighty wings that stretched out over the ocean, its body shown like polished brass in the fire light and its eyes glowed with an orange hue. In a mere moment the beast flew over Uriah and landed on the deck of the ship, its great wings enveloping the vessel on both sides.

The colossal ship shakes, the beast piercing the hull of the ship with its claws before ripping it apart.The beast seems single minded in its destruction of the vessel until a loud roar sounds through the night, overpowering even the winds surrounding them.

Covering his ears Uriah and the great beast both look to the north sky as a bolt of lightning strikes out from the darkness and impacts on the hide of the beast knocking it into the depths of the ocean. Uriah finally manages to rip himself away from the spectacle unfolding before him before the second beast lands aboard the ship. This new beast seemed to revel in its opponents defeat as it seemed to emit a dazzling light show of electrical bolts from its body. Its hide was as black as the night sky and even at times seemed to Uriah as if it was consuming the light that showed around it.

Uriah looked on at the beast unable to move from his spot. The black beast stops its display of victory as it turns its head looking over the waters , its nostrils flare and its eyes glow a dark blue color before Uriah sees it look directly at him.

Stunned by terror Uriah hears a voice, billowing from the dark beast, the voice echoes into his mind and he feels as if a horrible darkness is overtaking him

"Ages of time are coming to quake as the dweller beneath comes to awake. Fire and Fay will be the key to partake as the dweller beneath comes to forsake!" The voice from the beast growls to him as it spreads its wings before opening its jaw wide as a glow of blue light grows from the dark creature's throat and a bright flash erupts from its gaping maw as it releases a bolt of lightning towards Uriah.

Uriah is startled awake finding himself not in the inferno of his home or upon the ocean, but in the green grass of the headlands that rise high above his village, having been resting at the base of a lone tree. He looked around taking a deep breath."That was some dream."He says to himself before looking down the hill from what he considers his favorite spot in the village.

Down the hill he sees a boy ,near his age only a year or so younger , skinny to an almost sickly degree running up the hill and passing the ruins of a once mighty fort to meet him.

"Uriah!''He calls to him."What are you doing up here? Your mother and father have been looking for you all morning!" The boy says through labored breath as he comes to a halt just a stones throw from the peak of the hill where Uriah still sits.

"I was just resting my eyes is all."Uriah says with a yawn, before standing to his feet."The shouldn't worry so much."

"That is neither here nor there. I told them I would find them and-"

"And so you have Stephen, Quite the adventure it must have been with how you can hardly catch a breath"Uriah interrupts."You really must come train with me and pa some time it would do you a world of good."He says with a smile and a soft jab to Stephen`s arm which nearly knocks the boy down.

"I would love to Uriah, but my studies must come first. Master Gracen Would have my head on a plate if I have not memorized the ancient Overseer dialects by the end of the month."Stepehn says while rubbing his arm."

"Where is Professor Gracen anyway?"Uraih asks as they begin to walk down the hill."I heard pa say that he hasn't been seen in nearly two weeks."

"It is true master Gracen hasn't been seen as of late but it isn't exactly abnormal for him to be gone for great lengths of time. Of course normally I would have gotten some word from him by now, so that is particularly concerning. How ever He is a well studied scholar and knows his way around the Islands, so I am not too worried about him as of yet."

"Fair enough. If you are not worried I wont worry."He smirks"Race you to the bottom"Before Stephen can respond Uriah takes off running down the hill.Shaking his head Stephen takes a deep breath before running off behind him"You know I am not fit for physical exertion Uriah!"He yells as he attempts to catch up.

"Oh I know, believe me I know, that's why I always have you run with me. I`ll get them scrawny legs of yours exercised if it means taking you across this entire island and back." Uriah calls back to him as he ducks into one of the side passages of the old fort.Twisting and weaving through the passageways as the morning light shines through the holes in the once strong walls.

Uriah knew this fort like the back of his hand , having been exploring it since he was barely able to walk. Most of the other towns folk never went to the old ruins. However to Uriah this fort was his playground and no one knew it better then he. Even Stephen who had been studying the ruins for the better part of a year was in no way able to traverse the ruins like Uriah.

Stephen attempts to follow Uriah through the twisting corridors of the fort only to be turned around after he made the first few turns.

"Got ya!"Uriah says with a jolt to Stephen's side."

Stephen in surprise jumps back."For Quantona`s sake Uriah I told you not to scare me like that!"

"Oh calm down you act as if I was some undead monster haunting these old hauls."He pauses for a moment.``I guess I should give you some consideration ,at least you are willing to come in and explore these old ruins. Most of the folks in the village don`t even like to look in its direction."

"As they have good reason to Uriah. These are Overseer ruins and you shouldn't treat them as a playground."

"Oh dry up you old bum, you act as if it's some kind of temple or something. All this place is, is the ruined remains of a people that couldn't hold their own in a changing world."

"No Uriah it's not a temple you are correct but"Stephen places his hand on a wall that has what remains of an ornate stone carving that has all but been wiped away by the elements."This place tells a story of a bygone era If we are to learn from our past we mustn't haphazardly treat these places as if they are nothing , otherwise we would be doomed to repeat the errors of our ancestors."

"You sound like my pa , Speaking of which why are you holding me up is some old ruin? I`m going to tell them that you're the reason I'm so late, "Uriah says with a sarcastic laugh before running off again leading Stephen out of the ruins and down the hill into the town below.

Uriah and Stephen approach the town blacksmith shop, Uriah`s home. They approach joking and laughing before halting in their tracks as a beautiful woman with Ivory hair that shimmered in the morning sun steps out of the house

.

"I`ll uh catch up with you after while Uriah I`m not sure I want to be here for the tongue lashing you're about to get" He lets out a short laugh before running off.

"Uriah Silverson! Where on Demaria have you been."His mother Lo-Vellah raises her voice." If you shirk your duties one more time your father will have your head for sure!"She says with a loving but scolding tone."Your father has been waiting for you in the shop since the suns rose. It would be best for you not to keep him waiting any longer."She gives him a kiss on the forehead and swats him off gently to the shop."And don't get too dirty! You must be ready for the ceremony tonight."

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"The Ceremony!"Uriah thinks to himself in next to a panic, he had all but forgotten that his own coming of age ceremony was to take place in the coming night."Of course Ma, wouldn't dare to."He said with a hint of apprehension to his voice before running through the yard, leaping over the short fence in between the home and his fathers shop.

As he crosses the threshold of the shop he is hit with the familiar smell of coal and the wave of the heat from his fathers forge.

He makes his way through the small shop that was nearly bursting at the seams with tools of his fathers trade, hammers and tongs lined the walls and bits of projects laid scattered around the floor of the shop in haphazardly stacked piles.

To anyone that was not of the smithing trade it would look as if it was a torture chamber filled with the most horrendous tools of torture, yet to Uriah`s father it was home. The scattered piles, to him were neatly organized bundles just waiting for their moment to be placed together.

"You're late boy"Uriah's father Reamus turns to him while pulling a piece of metal still ablaze with an orange glow from the forge, as he does so a single bead of sweat rolls down his face, which to Uriah`s chagrin held a scowl of anger and disappointment."But better late to arrive with a willingness to make things right than to arrive early with no intention to work at all, Ha Ha"A smile spreads across his face and his countenance quickly changes to that of a cheeky blissfulness.

"Sorry pa I guess I lost track of time back at the fort."

"The fort you say?"Uriah's father raises an eyebrow to him as he hammered the piece of metal with a few precise strikes each one quickly shaping the metal to its masters liking."I thought you were told to be careful up there. That old fort is dangerous You know they say it's haunted don't you?"He says with a small smirk.

"Oh come on pa you sound like Stephen now I can handle myself up there. Besides I know the place probably better than anyone around."

"That may be Uriah but still, that place has who knows how many underground passages that have been lost to time that even you wouldn't know about, just best for you to play it safe. Now-" He places the metal he had been forging back into the fire before walking over to a cluttered table.``I have a delivery I need you to take to Robert down at the docks."

He rummages through the piles on the table and pulls out a long wooden box.``That is a very important package Uriah So take good care of it and be sure to make it snappy. Robert has a thing about his orders being there before the first ships come in for restocking. Which-"He looks out the window towards the sun"Is probably in about five minutes. So what are you waiting for? Get a move on!"He tosses the box to Uriah who at a moment's notice grabs the box from the air.

"Right away pa!"He says with a smile before dashing out the door and passing the street towards the main part of town.

Uriah turns onto main street having to slide under a moving cart as it passes his path, in doing so he narrowly misses a large pile of muck from the horse that just passed. "Phew, that was close!''

He says with a smile before running through a crowd of people in the town square."Coming through! watch out!"he says as he bobs and weaves through the crowded main square ducking and dashing through the groups of men and women who are busy decorating the structures with beautifully designed sashes and banners of all sorts being hung from post and trees alike. Uriah was Unique among the other locals in that his birthday and the start of the storm season of the Kindralth archipelago coincide together.

The people of Crescent ridge celebrate the beginning of the storm season as a way of remembering the founding of the town, a time when the old fort still stood strong. The founders of the town were sailors aboard a ship of refugees from the land of Vecor that wound up in the clutches of a great hurricane and were tossed through the ocean for many days.

As the storm raged, all hope seemed to have perished at the cruel hands of the sea. Until in the dead of night as the storm still raged. The captain saw a bright set of lights breaking through the darkness, as if great beacons shone forth from out of the storm's raging torrent.

With its light the captain was able to guide his crew and their families to the safety of a crescent shaped bay. While the ship itself was damaged beyond repair as they ran aground, not a single soul was lost that night.

The next morning the storm faded away and the Vecorians were able to explore this strange land they had found themselves on. The great light that showed out of the darkness had come from the abandoned fort high above the bay. Attempts were made to explore the forgotten structure but all met with those attempting to delve deeper into its passages being assailed by some unforeseen force that never allowed the fort's secrets to be unearthed.

And so was born the celebration of storms, a time when the people of Crescent Ridge would honor their ancestors, who braved the great hurricane and came to their new home as they themselves prepared for the first hurricanes of the year.

This Particular evening however was going to be about more than their ancestors trials but as well as the coming of age for Uriah, the day when among his people Uriah would be allowed to go beyond the safe harbor of their home village and the surrounding settlements, and take a journey with out the protective guidance of his parents. A journey of his choosing but alas , a journey that he had not yet chosen a destination for.

Uriah turns a corner and in a split second he manages to dodge a young girl his age, having nearly knocked her over she stumbles back.

"Watch where you're going! Fish for brains!"She calls out to him with a soft chuckle.``You better come see me later I have a surprise for you

"Sorry Lucy I`m in a big rush for Pa! I'll see you in a while, ok? At the stables by lunch time I promise.``He calls back to her as he runs past the gate to the docks turning to face her for a moment.

"You better not be late, Uriah Silverson! I wouldn't want to have to send my father to come after you."She says with a faint smile, which Uriah returns to her in kind before turning back to the way he was going.

Speeding past the dock workers, Uriah side steps around a blockade of barrels and leaps from one pier to another until he reaches the outside door of a large structure at the end of the docks.

By the door stands an older man, his skin wrinkled and darkened from years of working in the sun. He slowly raises a pipe to his mouth and lets out a short puff of smoke.

"What took you so long boy? One day you will be late to something that really matters if you keep it up. Best to learn good habits young or you end up a grouchy old man like me. "He says with a puff."Well don't just stand out there staring like a seagull waiting for a crumb to be tossed its way, come inside."

He opens the door to the structure and leads Uriah inside to a room with a dry-dock with a large machine being worked on by a group of craftsmen, the sound of hammers and saws ring throughout the large wooden structure and."

"Sorry Sir Robert, I did my best to get here as fast as possible."Uriah says with a chagrin.

"Your best huh?"The old man curls his lip slightly.``Best is a word used by folks that don't know their own limits. "He sits down on a chair next to the large machine sitting in the dock.''Boy I have seen plenty of men give their 'best' in my time and to most, their best is hardly better than their worst. Now that is to say that sometimes lad, you can certainly do your best and it still won't be enough but don't be letting that keep you from making your next best be better than your last.Because your character isn't shown by being the best , but by doing your best and it still not being enough and yet you keep pushing onward... That reminds me of a time in the war Where-"

Uriah sighs and rolls his eyes slightly as Robert trails off into another of his old war stories. While growing up Robert told Uriah of many of his adventures during the Vecorian war against the dark elves of Candaria, but by now he has heard them all, yet out of politeness Uriah still listens to the old man every time he goes off on another tale.

Robert eventually comes to the end of his tale as Uriah is beginning to nod off and turns his attention to the box that Uriah is holding"Now enough of me rambling before you know it I will have talked your ears off, Hand over me package so I can show you what your pa has done for me today."

Uriah shakes himself from the brink of sleep before looking out the window and seeing the suns having risen high in the sky "Oh gosh uh I`m sorry Sir Robert but I must be heading out , you see I told Lucy I would-"

"Say no more lad, I understand wishing to be with a pretty young lass over a grouchy old man." Just be sure to swing by sometime and see this machine your father is helping rebuild. It's a Dwarven craft they say , Used during their war with the dragons from what I hear of it, In fact That reminds me-"

"Uh I'll see you later sir."Uriah quickly jumps to his feet and leaves the dock heading for the outskirts of town.

Uriah passes by the local inn where a woman calls him over.

"Oh Uriah!"Stop by for a moment. I have something for you!"She says as she holds a small wrapped parcel.

"I can't be too long, Aunt Carisa. I'm going to meet Lucy and I'm already late."Uriah says to her.

"Oh my then , I won't keep you long. In Fact I think this will be perfect for you and her to share."He holds out the parcel and partially unwraps it, revealing that inside is a small collection of baked sweets"Happy Birthday Uriah Your mother and I baked these just for you, but I don't think you will mind sharing them with your little lady friend."

"I uh don't know what you mean I-"

She chuckles a little as Uriah`s face starts to turn slightly red"Oh come now Uriah don't even try to hide it. You and her have been inseparable for quite some time now. Besides, I think y'all make a cute couple. Now run along now I wouldn't want to keep you from her.''She says as she gives Uriah a hug and hands him the parcel.

"Thanks Aunt Carisa I`ll see you Ma and Pa tonight at the ceremony "He says as he gives her a hug in return and leaves the inn.

Before long Uriah reaches the edge of the town almost to the outer walls. Just before the walls stands a large stable surrounded by fencing where a multitude of horses run. Along an edge of the fence is a small lake with a single tree that has pink and white blooms covering its branches. Below the tree he sees Lucy sitting by herself on an old stump at the edge of the water, her feet resting in the pond causing small ripples as she gently moves them around.

As he tops the hill he hears her voice humming a simple yet pleasant tune.. He smiles when he hears it, as he thinks about the time she taught him that song when they were young children.

"Lucy sure does look beautiful today doesn't she?"Uriah thinks to himself."Come on Uriah be brave just do what dad told you to do and ask her that's all you have to do"He continues to mull over his words in his mind for a few moments in an attempt to build up his confidence to speak with her.

"Are you going to stand there all day? Or are you coming down to the pond?"She calls out to him."

"I`m coming down just move over you`re in my spot!"He says as he vaults over the fence and runs down to the pond and sits beside her."Aunt Carisa made us these. "He lays out the sweets between the two of them.

"Awe well tell her thank you for me."She smiles as she grabs one."So today is the big day isn't it?"

"It sure is, I guess."

"Have you decided where you will go on your pilgrimage? I hear some of the northern islands are nice this time of year."She pauses for a moment"Of course that is if you can make it through the storms."she gives him a smirk.

"I`ll let you know I learned sailing from both my father and Sir Robert. I can weather any storm that the sea can throw at me."

"Sure you can. Ok sailor boy how about this, I have not gone on my pilgrimage yet so why don't we both go together? I`ll be the captain and you can be the swabby I boss around on the deck?''She says with a laugh."

"Oh yes ma`am captain ma'am.''He smiles back at her before looking out over the pond."To be honest I'm not sure where I will go on my pilgrimage. Sir Robert had the war and Pa went away with the sailors guild... Thankfully we are at peace and with the storms on the horizons the sailors will be staying far from here. So unless I travel up the coast or out to the forest past Slumberton I don't have very many places to go unless I wait till after the storm season."

"Well why not go out past the forest? If I remember right you said you always wanted to go back out there since that time me and you managed to sneak out there as kids."

"I can't just go explore the island Lucy. The pilgrimage is supposed to be a time of self discovery and growth. How will I be able to grow if I never leave this little island?"

"Little?"A gruff voice rings out from behind them. As they turn around They see Lucy`s father Darek Grassroots , The town's stable master and head of the guard."Show some pride kid you sit on the heart of the archipelago. This is the largest island in the chain and the most diverse. Why I have heard tales from the folks out west in Slumberton that the magic folk out past the mountains have begun getting mighty active. I would say a pilgrimage to the west of the island is long overdue. We could use some knowledge of what's out there in case any of those magic folk ever decide that we are a threat."

"Father, I thought you were back at the stables cleaning the horse's gear?"

"Well I was. Then I came out to set one of the old girls up for some shoeing."Speaking of which, Uriah get your pa to fill an order for thirty more shoes. The guards' horses are running low."

"Father can that not wait ?"She gives him a glance of annoyance.

"Well I suppose it can . but not too long now boy so don't forget about it now." He pats Lucy on the head."I`ll be in the stables again if you need me."

"I'll let father know sir." Uriah says.

"Be sure you do."Darek says with pat on Uriah`s back, before he heads back to the stables.

"Sorry about father.You know how he is.''She looks down and smirks before looking back up to him."By the way I was being serious about us taking our Pilgrimage together. I think that would be fun."She pauses for a moment.``Don`t you?"

"Uriah smiled warmly."I would love to Lucy. By the way I mean to ask you something."

"Oh what is it?"She diverts all her attention to him and flutters her eyes slightly.

Uriah takes a deep breath and holds it a moment to gather his courage. As he goes to speak he hears his name called from the nearby village.

"Uriah!"His mothers voice rings out from the town."Time to come get ready for tonight!"

He sighs"I uh got to go Lucy. Um, see you tonight?"

She smiles slightly." I have to get ready myself. See you there.``

As Uriah sits up, his hands drift across hers, they share a passing glance before he heads off back to the village, stopping once to take a second look at her before giving her a wave and continuing on his way.