I was shocked. Horitori in love with my mother. He must be at least forty years old. But than again, he is an elf. Elved live a long time and a hundred year old elf could look quite young.
“I recognized you from the moment we met. Her hair is just like yours; sandy eath color. Your eyes are like your father’s; a deep brown,”
“Who was my father?” I asked him. He knew my mother, perhaps he knew him too.
“He was one of my greatest knights. He loved your mother so much. It madde me jealous to see him with her. But then he left with your mother. I never saw her again. He was one of my only soldiers who were half elf. You have some of those looks; tall slender form and jaw, you are porportioned to use a bow with perfection,”
“Horitori, if you truly love me, you will let me and my friends go,”
“Why do I have to always give up something for my lovers!” he shouted. “I always have to be miserable! This time it is my turn!” he stormed off. I shouted to him.
“She was killed you know by the same people who are after me,” Horitori stopped and turned around. “Don’t you see? We son’t have to fight each other. We should be going after them. If you just let me go,”
“No, you will stay here. I will go and find the ones who murdered my love,”
“Will you free me and my friends now, if you don’t return?”
“You can have the run of the palace, but as far as leaving, that I cannot allow. You will stay here while I go and take control of my troops,”
“I can’t just let you go without me. I want to find the ones who hurt my mother too. If you go, will find a way to escape. It would just be easier if you take us with you. Besides, I have he crystal, I can force you to stay,” Horitori just gave me a sour smile. “It works both ways,” He looked at me with disgust. “I’m sure you can control your troops from here as well,” I smiled sweetly, then I walked back to where I was kept, laughing to myself. It was payback time and I was loving it.
Horitori was having technical difficulties controling his troops from the palace. Something always went wrong with the communications. I took delight in his frustrations.
“Pack up some things, we are going to my troops. I can find out who murdered my love. It will be easier not to deal with the idiots who are having problems interpreting the orders. I will have you friends released, but one false move from you and they will perish,”
I was packed and met Horitori and my friends by the horses that he had readied. With the animals loaded, all of us saddled up. The six of us walked out the palace’s gate and continued walking through the city. The horses made a clippity clop noise over the cobble stones. Soon we reached the city’s gate and it opened on its own. The six of us galloped into the woods.
I was very quiet in the woods. Too quiet. I didn’t hear the usual chatter of the squirrels or the twittering of the birds, in the trees. Horitori didn’t seem to notice.
“Somethings is wrong,” Griffen said, “It is too quiet. We should be hearing the noises of the animals,” Horitori stopped his horse and listened.
“Something is coming. Something big. It feels like magic,” He sniffed the air. The ground shook. A huge head appeared out of no where. Soon there were more. They were giants.
“The war has come,” Horitori whispered.
Animals scurried towards us: rabbits, deer, raccon, chipmonks, squirrels, birds, bears, boars, cats, and just everything. Then in the distance we saw the creatures from Hell.
“We have to get away from here,”Jess said. My horse needed no command. It bolted into the woods without a kick from me.
No matter how hard we ran, the evil kept coming, it stayed at our tails. I was frightened, more for my friends than myself. I knew I could protect myself. At least I thought. I didn’t think that Garados could be that strong.
Soon fire consumed the trail behind us. I licked at the horses hooves. But just as I was about to give up, a river full of freezing water was ahead. Clutching onto Mathyus, who was in front of me, all of us encouraged the horses faster, and the galloped across gratefully. The fire stopped at the edge. It stayed on the opposite bank. The evil stopped as well for evil cannot cross water of any kind. It would disolve them instantly.
I turned back to see an old man stagger out from the evil and the fire. He wore robes of a monk colored black with silver trimmings. The staff in his knarlled hand was smooth as silk. The top of the staff, had a human hand clutching a ball that glowed blood crimson. He stared at Horitori and me with death wrentching eyes.
“We finally meet daughter of Selenia,” he said smoothly. I stood defiantly on the bank.
“You are just as mule headed as your mother,” I still said nothing. He continued. “Those crystals belong to me and I plan to take them,”
“You shall not touch them. They are for good not evil,”
“You don’t understnd the power that you holdd in your hands, do you? You and I could rule together, taking over everything and start fresh,”
“Me, join you, to wreak hell. I don’t think so. I refuse to help create disaster,”
“We shall see,” he said calmly. “Unlike you mother, you trust too much,”
“How dare you talk of my mother like that. She trusted everyone,” I yelled.
“Only when she was with you,” he said sharply. “When she was a guardian, she trusted no one. Not even your father, who by the way, your majesty, turned out to be the perfect one for your loves disaster,” Horitori glared.
“You dare talke about one of my men like that?”
“I dare, He took her mother out of your protection so that when I was ready, I could destroy th thing you loved and to rid my enemy,”
“I don’t believe it. My men are brave, strong, and true,”
“Yess, but they also lie, cheat, and steal, your majesty. Many are on their way now to help me kill you. Many hate you enough. I wouldn’t go back there if I was you,”
“You’re a pig,” Jess yelled.
“What of it, bearer of earth? I don’t care. I came to claim what is suppose to be mine. Your father Horitori was my brother. We grew together and when we came of age, one of us would become the ruler of all the land. Your grandfather chose your father because of his qualities. He sent me to rule where? The earth’s core. As far as he was concerned, I was scumthat needed to be squashed into the earth. OUr father sent for a wizard to dispose of me. I escaped and planned revenge. Now I will get it, but I need the five crystals. They hold the power that I need to destroy all,”
“None of us are going to give you our crystals,”Kalob said.
“Maybe not willingly, but by force, I wonder,” I stiffened. He chuckled at me. “I see that I am not going to get what I want. I’ll leave you alone for now,” Garados left and turned back into the woods. “By the way emperor, I’d watch my back if I were you. Traitors don’t get off that easily,”