Darkness Falls. 48

Kara woke to another day of captivity in the home of the strange man that took her and her daughter from their home. She had no idea where she was. All she knew was that this was a frightening place and she wanted to get them out of there. She hadnt seen another living soul here, except for that monster of a man dressed in black. How she hated him. He smelled of evil magic. A smell she had learned to hate. Her husband and his brother had that smell. She was so glad her son had rejected his fathers teaching and turned his magic and his life in a different way. Her husband had been the Mage called The Collector. He and his brother had used their magic to enslave hundreds of different creatures and steal their magic to grow strong. But it did neither of them any good in the end. In trying to capture certain prizes they ran into someone more powerful then them. Someone they couldnt beat or scare. Her husband had tried to capture a werewolf. Unfortunately for them, the werewolf they tried to capture was one of the brothers of Jandar Tyr, the Master Mage of the Dark Wolf Clan. He of course came and rescued his brother. Her husband's punishment was sever. He was placed in a zoo himself after being turned ino a freak. His brother's punishment was even worse. Then again his crime was much more horrible. Haner kidnapped and was responsible for the death of a young centaur, a child. Jandar turned him over to the centaurs to be punished by them. No one knows what they did to him. His body hasnt been found. Feeling weak, Kara climbed out of the bed and walked over to check on her daugther Tess. Tess didnt look very good. Her beautiful brown hair has lost all its shine. Kara was worried about her. Being around all these dead things was having a dreadful affect on her. She's listless and walking around like death was stalking her. And maybe it was. She had to get her out of here soon. Over in the corner was a fountain. Thank god the water in it ran clear and clean. Kara took the pitcher from the table and went and filled it up. She brought it back and sat Tess up and gave her some water.
" Mother, I want to go home." Tess looked at her with circles under her eyes.
" I know little one. Toric will be here soon for us, we just have to hold on." She dabbed her daughters face with a wet rag.
"Please Toric, You have to hurry my son." She prayed.

Toric sat in the window sill of his room and watched all the children outside playing . He wanted so bad to get his mother and sister free. He was worried about them. Tess was very frail. She was his twin. He could feel what was happening to her and he know she wasnt doing good. His mother would take care of her as best she could, but if Tess started to become really bad. She would start fighting. And her power and strength were a mystery. Father always said he siphoned off a lot of her power and that she was much more powerful then she looked. He knew she was no match for Polan. But if she fought, it could get them killed. As he watched there was a knocked at the door. He stood up and walked over and opened the door. There on the other side was Ariel. Toric smiled at her. What a regal beauty she was dresssed in her stormy gray gown and those beautiful smoky eyes and her elven features. Ariel was tall with long silky blond hair and carried herself like the princess she is.
" Come in my Lady." Toric smiled and bowed to her holding out his hand. She took it and smiled back.
" Thank you." She said.
He escourting her out to the terrace and held her chair for her. Ariel sat down and folded her hands in her lap.
" How are you doing today Toric?" She asked.
" I will be alright,but i fear my sister isnt doing well at all." He said. She had a look of concern on her face. Ariel reached out and touched his face. Toric knew to that moment this was the girl for him. His heart almost burst at her touch.
" You are a twin like Cutter and I, arent you? "
"Yes, Tess and i are twins," He said.
" And you feel her pain." She said. "Please dont worry. Rage and Jandar are on their way. And Rage says we are going to get them as soon as we can. We are all going to do what we have to, to get them free. I promise you that."
" I know you will." Toric took her hand and kissed it. She blushed.[Ariel, we are back.]
"There all back. Toric. Come on, Lets meet them."
Toric stood up and held her chair for her as she stood. Together they left his room and made there way out into the courtyard to meet everyone coming back. In the courtyard Jandar, Rage ,Pelic Denner, and Graym came walking up to the Manor.
" Welcome Home!!" Ariel said. She hugged them all as the came to her. Rage looked to Toric.
" Come, lets sit in the garden and make some plans. Ill call everyone out here."
One by one eveyone came out to the garden and greeted Rage and Jandar. Graym told them all about the demise of Velusia. How well Azeal did against his Mother. At the moment, only Jandar and Graym knew about Valkar being there father. They didnt even tell Valkar yet. Azeal wanted to wait. They let them know that Azeal was still in Tir Na with his little brother and Jandar's family safe. Rage told them about the places they stopped at and freed from Polan's hold. He also mentioned that Shine was again out of body watching Polan.
" Now that everyones been caught up. We have to discuss how we're going to help Toric and his family. One thing I can tell you is that Polan's not in a very good mood right now. He's lost a lot of land and im sure he's in a rage right now. So we have to act quickly while he's not thinking clearly. Heres what we're going to do....."

The day dawn gloomy in the country of Vicenta. Vicenta was once a beautiful place full of fruit trees and farming fields. The people were pleasent, always ready to help a stranger in need. Now they were suspicious of anyone that came near their villages. Food as in all of Polans land was scarce. Stealing was now bthe norm here. Woman and chilren couldnt walk anywhere alone anymore and no one was ever unarmed. These were sad day now with Polan as there ruler.Ono and Shayn flew in and landed in a barren field and looked around. Jandar had warned them to be careful and to avoid being seen if they could. He knew how scared and dangerous the people had become because of there hunger.
"Theses poor people." Shayn said. He reached over a took Ono's hand.
"We're here to help." Ono smiled at his love.
"Go ahead and do what we came to do."
Shayn bent over and stuck his hands into the ground. The shimmering effect begain to spread out from there. As it moved, the color of the ground began to look more healthy. Rotton fruit begain to fall from the trees and the leaves turned a more healthy color.
" Ok." Ono said. " Lets move on."
Shayn shifted back to Gabriel and Ono climbed on his back and they took off for there next destination.

Cutter and Dreik were the next to land. Theirs was a mountainous land. Dreik liked this place. He felt comfortable in the mountains. The only problem was that everyone here was either dead or had left to find a better place to lived. Dreik could feel the poison Polan had infected the land with. They never said a word as they cleaned the land and left.

Jumping from island to island, Nautica and Denner cleaned all the islands they could find. Polan had poisoned ever thing he touched on land and sea. Mortimer's people on Mythioes ever felt his poisons in there lake until that island was cleaned and turned to a prison by the dragons. On Parsia a large island. Nautica and Denner fought against the demons Polan left there to keep the people in line. Fear and terror ruled the island. Luckly they defeatted the demons and cleaned the island and cut Polan off from there forever.

Kara woke to the sound of something tapping at the window. She opened her eyes and looked around. Over on the window sill she saw a small golden animal scratching. It looked like a little dragon. wasnt Polan talking about dragons earlier? something about a red dragon. She got up and walked over and opened the window. The little dragon flew in and up to the rafters. She watched it fly around and jump from plank to plank. Tess opened her eyes and smiled at it.
" Mother!" She called weakly. Kara rushed back to her daughter. She sat down next to her and wiped her brow.
" Yes sweet heart?"
" Look, Toric sent us help."
" What are you talking about?" She asked as she looked back at the little dragon. It was sitting there staring at her.
"Its talking to me in my head." She said.
Tess closed her eyes.
" Shhh sweetheart. You're dreaming." Kare wet the towel and laid it on her daughters forehead.
[No she's not.] Kara heard in her nead. She jumped up a look around.
" Who's there?
[It is me up here.] Kara looked up to the little dragon. I must have the fever too she thought,
[No, you dont. I am talking to you. Toric sent me for you. Please dont talk. They might hear you. I can hear your thoughts.] Shine jumped down and clutched the bed post. The color in his many faceted eyes kept changing in the light.
[Toric sent you?] She asked. [Is he well?]
[He's worried about the two of you. Otherwise he's well.]
[How can you help us?]
[I can take you out of here. We have someone that can help her get better]Kara look at the small thing on the bed. How was he suppose to transport them anywhere being so small?
[ There are some very powerful small things my lady. Dont underestimate me.]
[I dont understand.] Kara said.
[Dont worry. Toric and help will be here in a moment and you will ba out of here.]
Suddenly the door burst open and a man in black armour came in. He was carrying a tray of food. He looked at her then Shine and dropped the try and called for help. Kara pointed at him and a stream of enegy shot at him. He froze in place then dropped to the ground dead. It was to late. There was no more time to wait for any help from outside. They would have to move now.
[Grab her and get her out the window now!!]Shine took to the air and landed on the window sill. Two men came running into the room. Kara quickly through out her hand again and one man fall like the other. Before she could cast again the other man ran toward her with his sword. Shine called and sent a lightning bolt at him. It hit him and killed him dead.
[Hurry!!] Shine sent. [You have to get her outside.]
Kara grabbed her daugter and with amazing strentgh, picked her up and carried her to the window. Shine jumped out to the ground as Kara pushed Tess out and she fell. As she climbed on to the window sill, another black armouer came in and tried to grab her. As he tried to pull her back in, she turned and grabbed his head. Her hands began to glow as she sent her magical energy into his brain. He screamed and fell with her out the window. Quickly she untangled herself from the dead man and climbed to her feet. Before her stood a massive golden dragon. She just stared for a second, not sure what to do.
[Its me. Do not worry. Quickly climb on my back. I'll left her up to you. Then hold on tight.]
Kara ran to Shine and climbed up his leg as he reached out and grabbed Tess and put her in front of her mother. Flying around the corner, came a red dragon and a purple one moving at high speed. On the back of the purple one sat Toric sending out blasts of magic at the black armours shooting arrows at them. Lightning bolts blasted out from Ariel as she twisted and turned to avoid the arrows.
[ Move now Shine!!] Rage sent. He bellowed fire out to scatter the warriors.In a matter of seconds Shine was airbourne and heading to the heights carrying them away. Higher and higher they flew as they made their getaway. Suddenly behind them they heard a roar. At was two of Polans dead things chasing after them.
[ Shine, take them back to Settlement. We'll take care of them.]
Rage and Ariel circled around back to confront the two dead things. Climbing higher Toric sent bolt after bolt at the dead dragon. It was a giant bat like thing with holes in its wings swooping at them.
" You fly, let me take care of them." He yelled to her.
Toric sat strapped into a special saddle Rage had made for Jandar to ride in. Diving at them the bat thing reached out and tried to claw at Ariel. Toric put his hands together and sent out a blast the took off one of its legs. The bat thing didnt even flinch. Instead it swung out its wing to smash them. Ariel sent a wind that beat it back. In he's saddle Toric called out a string of strange words. He swing his hand in a circle over his head then screamed out and pointed at the bat monster. It exploded in the air, pieces rain out everywhere. Rage looked ahead. In front of him was a Roc. The biggest, nastiest bird he had ever seen. He knew it was one of Polan's things so it was dead. But its claws and beak were still powerful enough to rip him apart if it caught him. Rage picked up speed and flew right at it. Just before contact he dipped, flipped over and reached out his claws and ripped its bottom open. Feeling no pain the Roc keep going. With a suddenly batting of its wing, it knocked Rage aside. For a second he tumbled, but he gained his balance and did a flip in the air to recover. Climbing high he saw that Ariel and Toric had done away with there pursuit. It was time to end this and get home to Jandar. Rage decide to do a head on attack. He did another flip and came straight it the Roc. Closer and closer they flew. The Roc stuck out its claws to grab and rip him apart. Rage took a deep breathe and blasted it with the hottest blast he ever used. The Roc burned in the air, incinerated. Ash and feathers floated in the air as Rage turned and headed for home.