Prologue
The land was still, still as death creping upon those unexpecting. Still with the night sky twinkling above with a silent song that could be heard in the ears of those who would just…listen.
Warm…he was warm, he could feel the fire dancing behind him, and hear the crackling in his ears. Upon the air was the sweet smell of baking muffins and brew. His eyes opened and focused on the surrounding around him, trying to look through the blurry lines that seemed to engulf him and make sense of them.
“I see your awake my friend” a voice boomed.
Deep in the darkness a figure could be seen…a shadow moving quickly across the hills in swift movements almost too rapid for the eye to see, yet the sound was unmistakable.
The breaths upon the lips that held the robed figure were gaped open, gasping for air that barely came, from behind him he could hear a loud shrill that sent a chill up his spine. He’s been discovered! Forgetting the ‘silent’ escape he lifted two slender fingers to his lips and blew sending a harmonizing melody that flowed across the land. He pleaded with the gods in the sky that they would hear his plea. The shrill scream sounded again. Closer. He could hear them getting closer, his heart leapt into his throat, but kept running, his legs not moved automatically, desperate he lifted his fingers to his fingers to his lips once more to sound a harmony. Suddenly he heard them…hooves, thundering toward him, across the hills, far away but coming at full speed. He prayed they would get there quick enough, but this was not the time to think, it was the time to run…but he was tired…he’d been running for days, and his legs were going automatically now…then it happened.
He felt a sharp pain hit his foot, and down he went, tumbling down the steep hill, hitting every rock, tree, branch, and bush on the way down. When he landed at the bottom it seemed like he was still falling, falling forever, into a deep never ending hole that would be his pending doom…he’d failed.
The cloaked figure that chased him was near, getting closer and closer, desperate to beat them, knowing in a way that was impossible, but it was still worth a try…it was all worth a try. He would have it! He would kill and murder for it! He could not fail, not this time, this time he would feel it warm in his hands.
He reached the body that lay there and immediately began to search, search for the item, the item that was needed, his hands were shaking…why were they shaking? This would be a lot faster if they would stop shaking, but he didn’t have time to think about that right now, the thunder of hooves were getting closer, which meant they were closer, they would stop him…they would take it…no…NO! It wasn’t thiers! It belonged to the master! Not them! He would have it!
But it was too late, a hand took a hold of his cloak and threw him back, he landed on the other side of them and watched as they picked him up, “NO!” he screamed “It’s not yours! It’s masters! It belongs to him! Stupid centaurs!”
He reached down and pulled out the whip that lay along his belt. And lifted it up, it came to life like a serpent sneering and snapping at it’s enemy, he flicked it at them and it made a sound like the thunder, beckoning pain to come along, but one of them caught it and pulled it from his hands, he stepped back in fear, then turned to run, run from them, they would kill him! They would hurt him! He had to get away! He ran, ran as far and as fast as he could, they could crush him with one blow of their legs.
One watched as he ran into the distance and turned to go after “Stop” a deep voice boomed from the front of the group “Let him go.”
“He’ll return, with more people, and stronger weapons.”
“Yes, that is why we must follow him, look at the whip he brought along” he said lifting the whip “This is no ordinary whip, had I not caught it, it would have bitten us like a viper. This whip was forged by Dracus himself! Made to sting like a bite and infect like poison. Imagine what he’ll bring next time he comes with full force for it!”
The leader thought about it carefully, thinking over what could have truly happened had the whip hit one of them “Very well” he said “Go after him, take a few of the others with you and be careful, these are not regular Tarators, they are quick-minded and cleaver, they are fast and will do almost too much to defend their lives. Approach him with caution and bring him back alive.”
The one nodded and left with several others following him. He then looked down at body laying on the ground before kneeling down carefully and picking him up “Let’s go” he said “this land is dangerous at night.”
“What would he be doing out here?” a female beside him asked.
“I don’t know” he replied “But I think we’re going to find out.”
They turned and began their Journey home.
He turned to see the centaur standing beside him “We feared you may not with the way your body was.”
“What day is it?”
“You’ve been asleep for three days.”
He jumped up “What? Why didn’t you wake me?”
His friend moved forward “Calm down my friend. You were attacked by a Tarator sent by Dracus...you were crazy to even go out in that part of Eden…why did you?”
“I had to forfill a mission…a promise to a friend long ago.”
Realisation hit the centaur “You were going to call them weren’t you?”
When his friend didn’t answer he became angry. “Answer me Aiden!” he said “You were going to call the Angels weren’t you?”
“We have no other choice Ryder” Aiden told him “If Eden has any chance of survival we must take drastic measures.”
“Not that drastic…Aiden, when they were sent to the other world it was to restrain them, there they’re powers are very low, but here they could be called gods!” Ryder told his friend “If we bring them here with no recollection of who and what they are…it could be complete chaos!”
“We have to have hope my friend, we have to believe that they will be able to control their powers enough to help us…we…we have no other choice.”
“That’s the answer of a man who has no hope!” Ryder replied.
“If I had no hope I would have let the Tarator take me,” Aiden retorted “You act as if they would bring some plague to Eden.”
“Yes! A plague…a curse worse than Dracus himself.
“I know the reprecusions…but if they can save Eden from Dracus before it happen” He then rose slowly, and reached for his bag “Then that’s a risk I’m willing to take.”
Ryder crossed his arms in a defiant stance “I won’t let you…”
“You don’t have a choice” Aiden replied pulling a shining substance from his bag.
“Angel dust!” Ryder gasped “Where did you get that.”
“I’m sorry Ryder, but I promised” Aiden then threw the sand to the side and chanted “Amire canquest delour” he then turned and dove into the portal before Ryder could stop him.
“No Aiden…NO!” Ryder cried.
But it was too late, the portal closed…his friend was gone.