The Darkness Rising (Ongoing story/summary)

Note: Kindly don't post comments in this thread.&nbsp; Try and reserve this topic for the story itself as we uncover what happens in Jakarta together.&nbsp; Posts should only go here to help clarify the storyline itself, and comments can be made elsewhere as to how folks feel about the writing, any edits they'd like to make, or any other such things.&nbsp; (Post here for comments:&nbsp; <a href="https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/7831592/the-darkness-rising-comment-thread" rel="nofollow">https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/7831592/the-darkness-rising-comment-thread</a> &nbsp;) Prologue 1: The Birth of The Rose The third moon was slowly rising in the southern sky as the sun leisurely cast the last vestiges of bright orange and yellow hues along the western horizon.&nbsp; &nbsp;Another day was coming to a gentle end in the peaceful little utopia of Dobbin’s Hollow, and while many residents were settling down for the night, some still had business to attend to. “Boy, come on in here for a moment.”&nbsp; A tired, weathered man in the midst of his life was stretching and yawning slightly. “Father?”&nbsp; The young pre-teen boy who came easing into the room didn’t seem to have any of the same tiredness as his father.&nbsp; An excited glint bounced restlessly in Flinx’s eyes, as he asked, “Did you need me?” “Boy,” Flinx’s father spit tobacco nonchalantly into the old vase sitting near his feet, “here, this is for you.&nbsp; The festival is starting tomorrow, and you’re going to need you some coin to spend, and the bag here’s your schooling gift.&nbsp; You’ll be attending classes once the festival is over, and your Ma and I was hoping this would make a nice present for you to help you follow your dream in life.” “Ooh!”&nbsp; Rushing over, Flinx’s face lit with excitement as he took the new leather herbalist’s satchel from his father.&nbsp; Opening it, it was instantly obvious that it had been custom crafted with him in mind.&nbsp; Leather pockets divided the inside of satchel into several dozen individual pockets, and each snapped shut individually to keep the herbs and spices inside of intermingling or intermixing.&nbsp; The pockets were empty now, of course, but Flinx was used to wandering the foothills near the town and seeking the many local herbs which grew in abundance around Dobbin’s Hollow. “Why all the engravings of roses on the outside though,” he had to ask, a little puzzled.&nbsp; They were beautiful, of course, but still seemed kind of girlish in some ways, in Flinx’s &nbsp;young mind. “It’s because yours is going to be The Class of The Rose at the academy,” his father informed him proudly.&nbsp; “The last class was The Class of The Thorn, and they all turned out just a little…”&nbsp; Pausing, Flinx’s father shrugged slightly, uncertain what would be the proper term to use to describe the last class of students to graduate the academy – even if they were quite a bit odder than most, they were still Towners and there wasn’t any reason to speak ill about them.&nbsp; “The Class of the Thorn just didn’t quite live up to expectations,” Flinx’s father informed him, diplomatically, after a moment’s thought.&nbsp; “The Headmistress thought a new name, focused in a new direction, might help you guys find a better path to adulthood, and give you something to take pride in.&nbsp; The Class of The Rose is new, so whatever legacy it carries is up to you and your fellow classmates to create.” “I understand, Father!”&nbsp; Beaming proudly at his gift, Flinx hugged his father and promised, “Don’t worry.&nbsp; We’ll make The Class of The Rose something worthwhile.&nbsp; I promise!” &nbsp; &nbsp; All across town, several other children were repeating this same scene in various other households in Dobbin’s Hollow.

Festival of Colors: Lilith's Diary Entry The morning or the festival I woke up with purple hair and eyes, double colors always means good luck. Getting dressed in uncharacteristically colorful clothes I went to meet up with the gang; Mia, Flinx, Kymil and Amari. I quietly followed them all around pausing momentarily to by small ribbons in my six colors; white, orange, soft green, soft blue, purple and blood red. I tied them into a decorative bunch, always nice to have a pretty accessory to remember good times buy. Near immediately after, Amari in his obliviousness starts handing out ribbons to all the girls around. First he gave one to Mia, which she happily accepted. irritating me to no end. While I'm distracted, Amari came up and tried to had me a ribbon. Barely maintaining my cool, I politely declined him. Happy-go-lucky fool probably doesn't even understand why I bought the six I got. Afterwards Mia ran off to pester old man Gunther, with nothing better to do I tagged along. As she messed around I stood by silently watching with a small smile on my face. Mia's antics never fail to make me smile. Suddenly, old man Gunther goes silent and glassy eyed. A few minutes later he started rambling on about a fallen dove. I wonder what that was about, maybe I'll look into it at school. Leaving a bouquet behind, Mia ran off to give her second bouquet to Mark. At the church we saw Bobby up in the foothills crying. Personally, I wasn't all that interested but the others are more of the compassionate sort. Thus out of loyalty I joined them in heading towards the boy. Turns out Martha had gone missing, but bobby was to busy being distraught to be helpful. I patiently waited and before bobby really got on my nerves Amari had used the puppy he bought to calm bobby down enough for him to show us where they were playing. Up in the foothills Bobby showed us a trail he and Martha had been using before he lost her. Dashing down the trail we stumbled upon Martha down in a newly formed crevice. Martha was looking really bad and as much as I thought this was likely her own fault, I know what it's like to be to have your whole life fall apart around you. I didn't want Martha to suffer like that so I took charge and had the others lower me down on the makeshift rope we made from the local ivy. Once in the crevice, I realized that I forgot to bring anything to help with Martha's injuries. Kymil came to the rescue buy throwing a branch down and telling me to use my clothes to make a tourniquet to stop Martha's bleeding. With Martha not bleeding out anymore I was more free to notice the weird atmosphere in the crevice. It was a chilling feeling, like some sort of extremely powerful being was constantly looming over my shoulder. Even as I write this entry, the feeling still hasn't completely faded. Before the odd feeling overwhelmed me, I tied Martha up and told the gang to pull her out. I barely remember what happened as I waited to be pulled up after Martha was rescued. I only have fuzzy memories of failing to light a fire and consequently throwing a stick in the direction of the creepy feeling. By the time we all got back to the church with Martha I realized that I had Mia's knife. Dazedly giving back Mia's knife, I leave the others behind and go watch the dyes being poured into the Babbling Brook. Watching the various colors mix and swirl within the waters of the Babbling Brook helped me calm down from the stress of being in that crevice. Unfortunately, As much as I never want to go back there again, I was stuck with this feeling that something important is there. Something that me and the gang will need to go investigate, hopefully later rather than sooner.

Mia's thoughts on the last day of the Festival of Colors: Pop and Ma had very huge smiles upon their faces, I knew something was up.&nbsp; I wanted to hug them but had given them several already, so I waited to see what was going on.&nbsp; Then they said they had something for me. 5 gold to go spend.&nbsp; I was so happy, I jumped up and down inside, but I could tell there was more so I forced myself to wait. Ma handed me a 8" dagger that had an engraven of a rose upon it.&nbsp; Then pop said I would be attending the Academy starting tomorrow. The dagger is perfect and the rose is too, and our class will be called "Class of the Rose".&nbsp; I was over joyed, and the name is awesome!&nbsp; I really like roses, all colors of them.&nbsp; The more colorful the better.&nbsp; What a perfect gift and name for our class, am so happy.&nbsp; I left to go spend the coin they gave me.&nbsp; Amari gave me a beautiful ribbon, I like it.&nbsp; A gift among friends, he's so sweet, and his crush on Angelica is even sweeter.&nbsp; I bought a leather belt with a metal buckle to keep my dagger on, and a large bag of candy to give out, and 2 clay vases with colorful flowers in them.&nbsp; After buying them, I headed straight to Old Man Gunthar, after all he still needs a hug, candy and flowers.&nbsp; I enjoy hearing him fuss.&nbsp; He makes me laugh.&nbsp; While there I was handing him his flowers, then his eyes turned white, and he just froze.&nbsp; I was intrigued but I wouldn't openly admit that tough.&nbsp; S I waited, and he came out of his trance and said a dove has falling.&nbsp; WOW.&nbsp; A dove is a bird, have no ideal that means.&nbsp; What a weird telling.&nbsp; I really was lost for words, gave him a hug and kiss on the cheek, then headed to the church.&nbsp; Wanted to give Mark (Marky-poo) his candy and flowers, but he wasn't there though.&nbsp; &nbsp; Then one of the others saw Bobby.&nbsp; Whom seemed highly upset.&nbsp; After sometime, found out Martha was missing.&nbsp; Had Bobby show us where he had last seen Martha.&nbsp; After some looking we found Martha, the ground had given away under her and she had feel in a hole.&nbsp; She was in bad shape, and there wasn't nothing I could truly do.&nbsp; Hate that feeling.&nbsp; But the gang worked together and with everyone helping we managed to get her out and to the temple..&nbsp; When we arrived, Mark and Angelica was coming back from the festival.&nbsp; Angelica looked beautiful as ever, but oh Mark was ooooooooh so spooky looking, yet I wanted to still give him his candy though.&nbsp; He had a long seyth, and dressed in all black, hood pulled up.&nbsp; Then some called out to him, then this strange feeling rushed through me, it froze me in my tracks.&nbsp; I disliked like this feeling even more.&nbsp; After all if I was to be a guard, how am I going to defend people if I just stand still?&nbsp; There was a coldness to it.&nbsp; Angelica seemed unaffected by the feeling.&nbsp; I knew then I needed to get stronger, not in strength, but also in heart and soul.&nbsp; I need to overcome these things in order to be a better guard and defender.&nbsp; Learn to laugh at danger, yes, that's it. Mark lead us in the temple, where he helped Martha.&nbsp; Amari had bought a puppy, for his puppy love Angelica.&nbsp; At some point had give it to Bobby.&nbsp; So, instead of him taking the puppy away from Bobby, I went out and bought another one.&nbsp; After all, not much I could do but stand around and helpless anyways.&nbsp; But, the puppy was returned, and I had a puppy too.&nbsp; Which I gave to Amari, he tried to repay me, but I wouldn't have that.&nbsp; I feel bad about though.&nbsp; Guess I should have found someone else to take the puppy. I had a wonderful day though.That hole needs to be looked into though.&nbsp; We will need rope, not sure that vine will last though.&nbsp; I am determined to overcome being frozen in my tracks by a feeling.&nbsp; I still need to give Mark his candy.&nbsp; The vase I left outside of the temple, which is funny, that's for Angelica. Off to rest.

Prologue&nbsp; 1.2: The Birth of The Rose Across town, in a home filled with various kittens, puppies and small little birds, the lady Samantha was happily singing a gentle little peaceful melody.&nbsp; A beautiful woman, who looked not much differently than she had when she was sixteen, Samantha’s eyes were bright blue and sparkled like gems as her long blond hair flowed freely down her bronze tanned back.&nbsp; Full, round breasts were bare in the gentle glow of the house light, as only a small white cloth draped gently down between her loins as she worked diligently. “Mother, I’m back,” Amari called, as he opened the door and dragged a thin layer of dust and grass back into the meticulously clean entrance way.&nbsp; Much like his mother, fine chiseled beauty was plainly visible on his still developing youthful face, though his hair had taken after his father instead of her.&nbsp; Jet black, and cropped short to help resist the overbearing heat which sometimes reigned relentless down over Dobbin’s Hollow, Amari’s hair was nearly the exact opposite of his mother’s strands of long pale gold which flowed freely nearly down to her buttocks. “My boy!”&nbsp; Giggling excitedly, Samantha rushed off and wrapped her arms around her son and hugged him tightly. &nbsp;“I was missing you!” “You always miss me, Mother,” Amari sighed, trying to once again wiggle out of the tight embrace of her arms.&nbsp; Long ago, he’d learnt from experience, if he wasn’t the one to escape from her embrace, his mother would smother him with affection for untold, endless hours. Pooching her lip out in a slight pout as her son squirmed free once again, the disappointment was only on Samantha’s face for the very barest of moments.&nbsp; “Wait a second!”&nbsp; Half bouncing, she squealed with excitement, hopped a few times up and down, and then turned and rushed upstairs through the house.&nbsp; “Hold on!&nbsp; Hold on!&nbsp; I’ve got something for you,” her voice called down excitedly, as the sound of something large crashing onto the floor echoed dully on the floor above. &nbsp; Sighing, Amari couldn’t help but head over to the couch and try to sit, but the sheer mass of animal bodies didn’t leave even a corner for him.&nbsp; “Come on guys!&nbsp; Make room for me.&nbsp; Slide over.”&nbsp; Reaching to push&nbsp; the mass of cuddled furballs to clear himself a spot in the corner, Amari wasn’t the least bit surprised to see the many pets of his mother’s, and several of the neighbor’s pets laying bunched together without a care in the world.&nbsp; The only animal which caused him to raise his eyes slightly was the pure white foxling which was cuddled up in the midst of the mass of cats and dogs.&nbsp; “Mother, where did heck did you find this guy,” he mused, softly to himself, as he slid if over to the side and finally cleared enough of a corner to sit down as well. “I’ve got it!&nbsp; I’ve got it!”&nbsp; Laughing gaily, Samantha bounced back down the steps, carrying a large cloth wrapped package in her hands.&nbsp; Rushing across the room, as her eyes were glittering brightly and solely focused on only her son, she was&nbsp; on a direct collision course with one of the small coffee tables which sat in front of the couches and chairs… …until it suddenly slide gently and naturally several feet to the side, to move itself out of her path. “Here!&nbsp; Here!”&nbsp; Excitement illuminating endlessly across her face, Samantha never even noticed, as she skid to a stop and nearly toppled over on Amari.&nbsp; “It’s your schooling gift!&nbsp; I got it for you.&nbsp; Here, take it!&nbsp; Take it!&nbsp; I love you!”&nbsp; Holding it out, she waved it excitedly back and forth several times, making it impossible for Amari to take from her hands. “Oooh!&nbsp; You’re taking too long!”&nbsp; Giggling freely, Samantha flopped down in the center of the floor, sat cross-legged, and starting ripping and tearing wrapping paper left and right.&nbsp; “Here, I’ll help you!”&nbsp; Within moments, cats and dogs, floor and furniture, Amari and Samantha all were covered in shredded pieces of colorful wrapping paper, as she held a beautiful wooden buckler triumphantly out in both hands.&nbsp; Made from a dark, well varnished wood, an engraving of a single large rose adorned the center of the perfectly round buckler, as she presented it to Amari, eyes beaming with pride. “It’s beautiful, Mother.”&nbsp; Reaching out both hands, Amari took the shield and slowly felt its sturdy weight in his young arms.&nbsp; His father had been a great warrior who had fought with shield and magic, and this was the first of his many steps to follow in those legendary footsteps.&nbsp; “I love you, Mother.&nbsp; Thank you.” “Eeeeee!!”&nbsp; Samantha squealed, happiness and pride bubbling over, as she flung herself up and wrapped her arms tightly around her child.&nbsp; “ I loves, loves, loves you too,” she promised Amari, as her laughter rung unabashedly all throughout the house.

Prologue&nbsp; 1.3: The Birth of The Rose Meanwhile, Lilith sat sullenly in her room alone at the orphanage, gently rubbing the rose engraved bracelet on her wrist.&nbsp; So much had happened in her young life, she wasn’t certain of anything anymore – not even her own feelings sometimes.&nbsp; Born and raised a male, now somehow living the life of a female, with her mother banished and outcast from Dobbin’s Hollow…&nbsp; There was so much which had occurred recently, and none of it had been especially pleasant to experience.&nbsp; Staring out her window, she couldn’t help but thing that her life was going to change once again, now that she was going to be attending the school in just a few days.&nbsp; ‘Perhaps this time, it’ll be a change for the better ,” Lilith thought to herself.&nbsp; “It’s not like things can get much worse, now can they,’ she answered herself softly.

Prologue&nbsp; 1.4: The Birth of The Rose “Kymil, Amelia in here!”&nbsp; Half yelling, Pavlov stood at firm attention while awaiting his children to enter the sitting room where he had called them to.&nbsp; ‘ A disciplined body leads to a disciplined mind ,’ was one of his firm beliefs, and something which he tried to teach his children, through example as well as through lessons. “Yes father?”&nbsp; Kymil was the first to arrive, and he quickly took the same disciplined stance as his father.&nbsp; “Amelia will be a while, I think,” he respectfully informed his father.&nbsp; “She’s outside helping mother finish up cooking for the evening.” “Very well.”&nbsp; Coughing lightly, Pavlov mad certain to try and keep his emotions under control as he strode purposefully up to his son’s side.&nbsp; “Boy, it’s time you become a man.&nbsp; Tomorrow is the Festival of Colors, and the day after you’ll be attending the Academy of Knowledge.&nbsp; That woman there…” &nbsp;He sighed deeply and smiled slightly as he shook his head softly from side to side. “The headmistress who will be in charge of teaching you,” he corrected himself, after a moment’s pause, “is a woman who knows nothing of the ways of the fist.&nbsp; Given the chance, she will turn your heart down the path of flowers, such as your mother and sister attempt to walk.&nbsp; You must be strong, for this may be the hardest obstacle you’ve ever faced in following the Path of the Fist.” “I’ll be strong father,” Kymil promised, firm in his confidence.&nbsp; Someday, he was going to grow to become as great a warrior as his father and grandfather, and his elder ancestors!&nbsp; “I’m not interested in any flowers,” he assured him. “Words are easy, actions are what are hard,” Pavlov reminded him, as he slowly held his closed fist out to his son.&nbsp; “This is for you,” he said, while opening his hand to reveal a gleaming set of steel knuckles out his son.&nbsp; “Take these and let them help you remember the Path of the Fist, for those times when that woman’s teachings may try and steer you away.” “I’ll remember,” Kymil promised again, as he took the steel knuckles from his father.&nbsp; Solid, interlocking rings of steel formed the solid looking knuckles, and engravings of roses ran decoratively across the metal. “See that you do,” Pavlov nodded, as he turned his back and slowly strode back across the room.&nbsp; “You’re dismissed,” he informed his son, determined not to let him see the emotion that was struggling to escape his face.&nbsp; One of his babies was going to become a man soon, and he was both proud and saddened by this moment, and he certainly didn’t want to come off as looking weak at this vital point in their upbringing.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Prologue&nbsp; 1.5: The Birth of The Rose Mia was helping her mother preparing supper outside the kitchen, when her mother suddenly just walked over and wrapped her in a tight embrace.&nbsp; “My little girl’s getting all grown up on us,” she laughed, squeezing tightly. “Mom?”&nbsp; Mia was a little confused about what had brought this sudden display of emotion on, all of a sudden. “It’s nothing, dear,” Jenny assured her, squeezing her tightly once more before letting go.&nbsp; “It’s just that after this evening, you’re not going to be my little one any more.” “I’ll always be your little girl,” Mia assured her, turning to hug her mother back.&nbsp; “Just because I’ll start attending school after the festival, doesn’t change that.” Smiling broadly, Jenny returned the hug once more, before letting go and pointing over to the grill.&nbsp; “Don’t let the fish burn,” she reminded Mia, “or else that one will end up being yours for supper!” “I’ve got it!”&nbsp; Rushing over, Mia grabbed the tongs sitting nearby and flipped the fillet before it could scorch.&nbsp; “You know, I was going to do that, before you started hugging me,” she stressed to her mom. Laughing happily, her mother simply ruffled her hair from behind and then wrapped her arms around Mia once more.&nbsp; “This is for you,” she whispered, holding a rose engraved dagger in her left hand, as he embraced her daughter firmly from behind.&nbsp; “It’s a gift to mark the passage to adulthood, which your father and I got for you.&nbsp; He’s going to be late tonight, as he’s trying to get some last work in at the mines before taking a break for the Festival tomorrow, so I get the pleasure of giving it to you, but I want you to remember, it’s a gift from us both.” “Mom!&nbsp; It’s beautiful!”&nbsp; Turning, Mia returned her mother’s tight embrace; the fish forgotten and blackening silently on the grill as they both surrendered to the emotions between them.

Prologue 2: The Festival of Color The whole town of Dobbin’s Hollow was awake and active the next morning by the time the second moon had settled and the sun had starting casting the first rays of light across the sky.&nbsp; Sounds of laughter and joy were echoing all across the valley, and the small village was packed with many Outsiders and merchants trying to hawk various goods and services to the townsfolk.&nbsp; The Festival of Colors was underway, and bright rainbow ribbons flowed and waved happily in nearly every window and across every porch. “Lilith, come join me and Kymil!”&nbsp; Laughing excitedly, Mia was a bundle of energy this morning.&nbsp; “Let’s see if we can find Amari and Flinx.”&nbsp; Streams of colored silk scarves whipped around Mia’s youthful frame, as she waved frantically to get Lilith’s attention. “I saw Flinx earlier,” Lilith assured her, slowly working her way through the crowds to join her friends.&nbsp; At least, she thought they were still her friends.&nbsp; Lilith wasn’t really certain of anything, anymore, after her mother’s betrayal.&nbsp; “Amari’s probably wandering around looking for some girl to flirt with, somewhere.” “You’re right, he probably is!”&nbsp; Laughing gaily, Mia grabbed both Kymil’s and Lilith’s hand and started dragging them through the festival.&nbsp; “Let’s go find them, I want them to see the present I got for attending the Academy!”&nbsp; Clutching her new dagger tightly in her hand, she waved it back and forth excitedly up high, so the sunlight could dance and reflect off the blade. “Don’t cut yourself with that.&nbsp; It’s not a toy,” Kymil warned her.&nbsp; His father had always driven home that one must respect their tools to respect themselves, and Mia’s actions didn’t seem all that respectful to him at the moment. “It’s fine!&nbsp; It’s fine,” Mia assured him, laughing merrily with the confidence that only a child can possess.&nbsp; “You guys help me look for a nice scabbard in a bit, for it.” “Lizard on a stick! Can I interest you find young ‘ens with a fried lizard on a stick for breakfast?”&nbsp; As they walked past, one of the Outsider merchants tried hard to get their attention, only to be ignored completely by the three.&nbsp; Towners and Outsiders mixed like oil and water, and usually only interacted and did business together when they had to.&nbsp; After drinking for most of the day, many of the Towners would loosen up and start buying things from the Outsiders, but it was still way too early in the day for that, so they were left trying to hawk goods to anyone who passed by, including the children – not that it really did them much good. “Isn’t that Flinx and Amari?”&nbsp; Pointing to the left, Kymil tried to direct everyone’s attention towards a small group gathered outside one of the ribbon sellers. “It is!”&nbsp; Dragging her friends excitedly, Mia led the way while Kymil and Lilith simply got dragged along in her wake.&nbsp; “Hey guys!&nbsp; Hey guys!&nbsp; Whatcha doing??” Looking back, Amari and Flinx both waved and moved off to the side of the crowd to help make room for their friends.&nbsp; “We were just looking at some ribbons for the festival,” Amari grinned.&nbsp; “I was thinking about giving one to Angelica later, and seeing if I could get a kiss from her,” he admitted, laughing happily. “The only kiss you might get is a kiss from Mark’s boot upside your head, if you don’t leave his daughter alone,” Flinx warned him.&nbsp; “You know how protective he is over Angelica.” “It’s okay,” Amari assured him.&nbsp; “I’ve got this to protect myself with,” he assured happily, holding up his new buckler for all to see. “I’ll take six ribbons,” Lilith told the merchant, ignoring Amari completely.&nbsp; “White, orange, soft green, soft blue, purple and blood red.” “That’ll be five copper,” the young lady behind the stand told her.&nbsp; Lilith handed her a gold, and several coin exchanged hands as change was handed back. “I’ll take six ribbons too,” Amari laughed, grabbing the first six that he saw, and passing one of his coins over to the ribbon seller.&nbsp; “And here’s one for you Lilith!”&nbsp; Grinning as charmingly as he could, he turned and presented a rainbow dyed ribbon out towards Lilith. “No thanks.” “Oh, come on!&nbsp; I got it for you,” Amari insisted. “I bought the ones I wanted,” Lilith reminded him, coolly.&nbsp; “Didn’t you just see that?” “Well fine.”&nbsp; Without missing a beat, Amari turned and presented the same ribbon out towards Mia, who had just finished buying several for herself from the merchant.&nbsp; “Here Mia, this one is for you!” “Yay!&nbsp; I got a free ribbon!”&nbsp; Laughing merrily, Mia took it and placed the ribbon in with the batch which she’d just purchased from the merchant.&nbsp; “Let’s go get some candy now!”

Prologue 2.1: &nbsp;The Festival of Color Dragging her friends along, Mia rushed across the village until she found an older merchant selling bags of hard candy.&nbsp; &nbsp;“Hey mister!&nbsp; Hey mister,” Mia laughed, running up to his stall.&nbsp; “How much for a bag of candy?” “I offer small bags and large bags,” she was told.&nbsp; “One silver for the small bag, two silver for a large bag, but it holds about three times as much candy.” “I want a large bag!”&nbsp; Laughing happily, Mia handed over several coins which were her change from buying the ribbons earlier. “I’ll take one as well,” Kymil spoke up, passing over a few coins.&nbsp; As the merchant passed a bag full of hard candy over to him, Mia was already starting to hand out pieces of candy from hers to anyone who passed anywhere close to her vicinity. “I need some flowers!”&nbsp; Mia laughed gaily, turning and rushing off into the crowds.&nbsp; “And a belt and scabbard,” Mia added as she started to disappear into the crowds.&nbsp; Sighing deeply, Lilith silently rushed to keep up with her, while the boys were all abandoned in the hubbub.&nbsp; Seeing they were all now separated from the girls, each of the boys split on went on their merry way to enjoy the festival and buy some necessities for themselves.&nbsp; Kymil wandered to the tavern and hunted stray twine so he could make a makeshift harness to hang his candy around his shoulder.&nbsp; Amari went to barter for a small puppy so he could gift it to Angelica, while Flinx went shopping for a good deal on some small glass bottles which he could use inside his herbalist pack. All in all, everyone was having a blast doing their own thing, enjoying the sounds and colors, participating in various games and dances, and spending what little coin they’d been gifted for the day of the festival.

Prologue 2.2: &nbsp;The Festival of Color “Hey!&nbsp; Where you guys going?”&nbsp; As the sun rose ever higher in the sky with the passing day, Kymil once again noticed Mia and Lilith rushing through the festival crowds; poor Lilith still being dragged haphazardly along in Mia’s wake. “I dunno,” Lilith shrugged, just trying to keep up with Mia. “To see Old Man Gunther, of course,” Mia yelled, as if it was the most logical thing in the world, never slowing her pace. “Who the hell wants to see that crotchety old man?”&nbsp; Grumbling to himself, Kymil shrugged slightly and took off after the two before they could disappear completely from his sight. “Mr. Gunther!&nbsp; Mr. Gunther!”&nbsp; Boisterously laughing, Mia pounded up the stone steps to the porch where the old man sat in a weathered rocking chair, slowing creaking back and forth.&nbsp; “I brought you some flowers!” “Git the ‘ell off my porch!”&nbsp; The withered old man – 116 years old, as of this summer – spat and shook his cane in emphasis.&nbsp; “T’ain’t nobodies round ‘bouts ‘ere want no stinkin’ flowers!” “Ain’t you so sweeeet!”&nbsp; Giggling freely, Mia placed one of her small vases of flowers that she’d purchased down upon the porch.&nbsp; Bouncing forward, she tossed her arms around the old man.&nbsp; Hugging him tightly, Mia kissed him gently across the forehead.&nbsp; “You know you love us!” “T’ain’t nobodies loves you, ya dam’n brat!&nbsp; Gits ‘e ‘ell off me!”&nbsp; Lifting his cane up and down with all the might than a man his age could muster, Old Man Gunther tried fruitlessly to beat Mia off.&nbsp; “Git off!&nbsp; Git off!&nbsp; Git off, I ‘ells ya, or els….” Voice trailing off, the old man’s arms went limp and hung listless at his side as his eyes glazed over, whites of the pupils prominently displayed.&nbsp; Even Mia’s joyous laughter stopped, as she backed up and stood respectfully watching the old man carefully. “A dark arrow, high upon the sky,” muttered the old man, quietly, as he stared out into nothingness.&nbsp; “From the darkness, the dove doth cry.” &nbsp; Just a &nbsp;few silent words from the old man’s parched lips, but they sent chills down the spines of all three children who heard them. “Dove?&nbsp; Darkness?&nbsp; Crying?&nbsp; What do you think it means,” Mia asked, quietly. “I have no idea,” Lilith shrugged, indifferently.&nbsp; How was she supposed to know what some crazy old man’s ramblings were supposed to mean. “Probably nothing good,” Kymil mused, frowning slightly. “Let’s go see what Mark will say about it,” Mia suggested, as she turned and began to run off towards the extreme other side of the town to the church. “Sure.&nbsp; Why not,” Lilith shrugged, getting dragged along once more. Saying nothing, Kymil turned and followed the two girls, as Old Man Gunther was slowly beginning to rouse himself and cuss all three of them rather loudly for ruining his day and cluttering his porch with stinking flowers.

Prologue 2.3: &nbsp;The Festival of Color “Hey come join us!”&nbsp; Rushing through the crowded streets, Kymil called out to Flinx as soon as he noticed in the the crowd. “Where we going?”&nbsp; Looking up from the fried lizard on a stick he was eating, Flinx looked puzzled at the hurried rush of his friends. “This way,” Kymil yelled, tugging Flinx’s shoulder, causing him to drop his snack as he was suddenly dragged along. “Hey!” After a &nbsp;few moment of rushing after the others, Flinx noticed Amari slowly walking to the temple, carrying a wiggling mass of young puppy.&nbsp; Without stopping his running, Flinx grabbed Amari’s arm and yanked him along after the group of excited almost-teens.&nbsp; “Come on!” “Where we going?”&nbsp; Looking bewildered as he was suddenly dragged along, Amari struggled not to drop the squirming pup in his arms. “I dunno,” Flinx shrugged. “I’m just following Kymil!” “I dunno either,” Kymil shrugged, laughing lightly.&nbsp; “I’m just following the girls!” And if either of the girls even heard the boys, apparently they didn’t care enough to bother to tell them where their destination was – the temple!

Prologue 3: &nbsp;Kidnapped? ““Hey Marky-poo!&nbsp; Marky-poo!”&nbsp; By the time the boys had all caught up, the girls were already pounding on the closed doors of the temple and yelling for the town’s only priest – Mark Hensley. “What we here for?”&nbsp; Still completely clueless about what they were doing, Amari blinked confusedly and looked for anyone who could give him an answer. “I dunno,” Flinx shrugged.&nbsp; “They just said ‘come on’, so I came on.&nbsp; What are we doing, Kymil?”&nbsp; Turning his attention to the boy who grabbed him, Flinx tried to sort out what their purpose was. Kymil looked like he was about to say something, then shut his lips tight and simply shrugged apologetically.&nbsp; “Apparently we’re yelling for Marky-poo now, can’t you tell?” “Oh.”&nbsp; Blinking stupidly, Flinx and Amari both exchanged a look that said they didn’t understand anything.&nbsp; Shrugging, Flinx laughed good-heartedly and yelled, “Marky-poo!”&nbsp; It wasn’t the first time he’d been dragged along by his friend’s impulsiveness, and it probably wouldn’t be the last. Knowing he was defeated in his quest to get answers from his friends, Amari shrugged and started to yell as well.&nbsp; “Marky-pooo…”&nbsp; Voice trailing off, he suddenly turned and began to run up the hillside, past the Rosewood Church. “Guys!&nbsp; Guys!&nbsp; Over here quick!”&nbsp; Rushing about a hundred yards up the small trail heading into the foothills surrounding Dobbin’s Hollow, Amari hurried over to Bobby’s side.&nbsp; Bobby was one of the other children of Dobbin’s Hollow, and even though he normally&nbsp; hung around Martha, and not their group as much, he was still one of their fellow Towners and someone with whom they’d be starting school with in the next few days; and it was obvious that something was wrong.&nbsp; Tears streaked Bobby’s face and snot dripped freely down the end of his nose. “What’s wrong?”&nbsp; As soon as Amari reached Bobby’s side, Bobby’s knees gave out and he stumbled half to the ground.&nbsp; “She’s gone!”&nbsp; Tears exploded uncontrollably from Bobby’s eyes, now that he’d found help and could release his emotions.&nbsp; “Martha’s gone!” “Gone?&nbsp; Who’s gone?&nbsp; Gone where?”&nbsp; As the others rushed up to gather all around them, Amari tried to comfort Bobby by patting him gently on his shoulder. “Martha,” Bobby cried.&nbsp; “ We were up in the foothills back behind the church playing hide-and-seek, and I can’t find her.&nbsp; I looked and looked and looked and looked and…” Voice trailing off, Bobby sobbed pitifully, before half screaming, “I can’t find her anywhere!” “I think her father must’ve came and got her.”&nbsp; Eyes lighting up in a flash of sudden terror, Bobby took a deep breath and trembled as fear washed over him. “Yeah, that’s it!&nbsp; Her father came and got her, and he’s going to cook her up and eat her!”&nbsp; Without pausing for a single breath, Bobby continued&nbsp; on, without even pausing to take a breath.&nbsp; “I just know that’s what happened!” Tears were pouring down the sides of Bobby’s cheeks now, as he hung his head in his hands, making his words almost indecipherable.&nbsp; “I LOVE HER!&nbsp; Please, oh please, oh please,“ he begged, “don’t let him kill her.&nbsp; You know how mean he is.&nbsp; He’ll do it.&nbsp; He will.&nbsp; I know he will.&nbsp; I bet he’s done kilt her!” Anything else which Bobby was trying to say was completely lost to his uncontrollable sobbing and crying. “Its okay!&nbsp; It’s okay!”&nbsp; Wrapping her arms around him tightly, Mia looked almost as if she was going to start crying with Bobby.&nbsp; “We’ll help you, won’t we guys?”&nbsp; Looking up at her friends, a shimmer of tears glistened at the corner of her eyelids. “Well, where did you see her last?”&nbsp; Huffing slightly, almost as if she was annoyed by the disturbance to her day, Lilith tried to pry anything else useful she could out of Bobby, but all he could do is sit and sob uncontrollably now.&nbsp; “Well if you can’t help us, how can we help you,” she snorted. “Here.”&nbsp; Amari pushed the puppy he’d purchased as a gift to try and win Angelica’s heart into Bobby’s arms.&nbsp; “Pet this little fellow and calm down a bit.”&nbsp; Snuffling, Bobby wrapped his arms around the little pup and hugged it tightly, burying his snotty nose into it’s fur. Everyone looked around anxiously for several moments, waiting for Bobby to calm down enough to be able to respond again.&nbsp; “Feel better,” Amari asked, gently. “A little,” Bobby snuffled, hugging the puppy tight in his arms. Still making certain to keep his voice as gentle as possible, Amari asked, “Can you show us where you were playing last?” “Yeah,” Bobby sniffed.&nbsp; “I think so.&nbsp; Do you guys think we can find her on our own?” “I’m sure with all of us, it won’t be a problem,” Mia declared confidently.

Prologue 4: &nbsp;Into The Rift “Martha!&nbsp; Hey, Martha!”&nbsp; Worriedly, the small group of youngsters yelled as they followed Bobby ever deeper into the foothills behind the church.&nbsp; “Are you certain you guys came up this far,” Lilith asked? Goosebumps were starting to form on her arms as they wandered ever further from the magical protections which surrounded the small village, keeping out the frozen wastelands from beyond.&nbsp; Dobbin’s Hollow was a magical little paradise, where the temperature was always almost too hot, but the mountains outside that protection were a frozen wasteland of nothing but ice, wind, and death. “Yeah,” Bobby nodded sullenly, face heavy with exhaustion from the toll his emotions had taken on him.&nbsp; “This is where we separated to play hide and seek.&nbsp; I sat down right here, while she ran off to hide.”&nbsp; Plopping down on a large outcropping of stone, he hugged the puppy tight, while closing his eyes to rest. “Spread out a little, guys,” Mia suggested.&nbsp; “Let’s see if we can find her.” “Sure,” Kymil agreed, readily. “No problem,” Flinx nodded. Lilith just nodded moodily, while Amari wandered off on his own without saying a word.

Prologue 4.1: &nbsp;Into The Rift After several long minutes of everyone searching and wandering back and forth through the hills, Flinx yelled hopefully, “Hey guys!&nbsp; I think I hear something!” “What is it?&nbsp; What do you hear?”&nbsp; Rushing to regroup, everyone immediately started to clamor, asking him for details. “Dammit!&nbsp; All I’m hearing now is you guys!&nbsp; Shush and listen!”&nbsp; Worriedly, Flinx rebuked them to silence.&nbsp; Several long moments passed while everyone held their breaths, when a muffled, “..elp me.&nbsp; Please, help me,” seemed to come up from the broken ground beneath&nbsp; their feet. “She’s below us somehow!”&nbsp; Dropping to his knees, Flinx began to dig and scrape at the ground with his shield, as best he could. “I think it might be coming from somewhere else,” Lilith suggested.&nbsp; “She sounded louder to me over here.&nbsp; I think you’re hearing an echo, or something.”&nbsp; Shrugging, she wasn’t entirely certain how to word her thoughts so the others would understand.&nbsp; It seemed almost to her, that the noise was coming from all around where they stood. “I think it was louder over this way as well,” Mia confirmed, slowly starting to wander off.&nbsp; Bent low, she strained her ears to listen for any other muffled sounds which Marth could possible be making.&nbsp; “Definitely this way,” she affirmed, wandering off the path and into the bushes. “Hold on, I’m coming.”&nbsp; Kymil rushed to catch up to her, not wanting anyone to wander off alone this far from town. Several moments later, Mia called out, “This way guys!&nbsp; I found something!”&nbsp; About thirty or forty yards from the beaten path, there was a gaping hole in the ground, with empty darkness below it.&nbsp; Easing forward slowly towards it – the edges of the hole seemed loose and unstable, as if it might collapse inwards at any moment – Mia yelled out, “Martha!&nbsp; Martha, are you down there!” “I’m here,” was the feeble response that echoed back up from the hole.&nbsp; “Help me!&nbsp; Please!”&nbsp; Desperately, she begged for someone – anyone – to help save her. “Hold on!&nbsp; We’re coming!”&nbsp; Dropping to all fours, Mia crawled slowly across the cracked and loose terrain, until she could peer down into the depths below.&nbsp; There, fifteen or twenty feet below, surrounded by the heavy darkness of the cavern she’d fallen into, was Martha.&nbsp; Her arm was twisted at an odd angle above her head as she lay sprawled prone across the stone; with her left leg bent at an impossible angle, the pale glistening of a bone protruding from it plainly visible even from this distance. Overcome with relief, Martha’s eyes closed and she slumped into blissful unconsciousness. “We need to hurry guys,” Mia screamed, as she squirmed back away from the edge.&nbsp; “She doesn’t look good at all.&nbsp; We got to get down there soon!” “And how do we do that,” Lilith asked. “Jump?” “I dunno!”&nbsp; Frustrated, Mia looked around hopelessly.&nbsp; “We don’t have any rope, and I don’t know if Martha will be okay if we take time to run back to town and fetch someone.&nbsp; We don’t even know where Mark was!&nbsp; It’s Festival day.&nbsp; He could be anywhere in town!” “Could we use the vines around here, and lower someone down,” Kymil mused? “I dunno.”&nbsp; Sounding concerned, Lilith asked, “Does anyone even know the difference between poisonous ivy and the type that’s not?” Looking around, Flinx nodded.&nbsp; “I’ve helped the herbalist gather plants up here before.&nbsp; These are wisteria vines!&nbsp; They’re not poisonous at all.” “Then let’s all start collecting some,” Mia suggested, drawing her knife and moving into the brush to hack and pull at the long running vines. “Get a bunch,” Kymil suggested.&nbsp; “We’ll weave them together, to make certain they’re strong enough so we can lower someone down and then try and pull her up after.” “Good idea,” they all agreed.

Prologue 4.2: &nbsp;Into The Rift “Okay guys, hold tight and don’t drop me,” Lilith warned the others, as she held tightly onto the freshly braided vine-rope and backed herself down over the edge. “Don’t worry.&nbsp; We’ve got you,” Kymil promised, wrapping the other end of the vines around his waist as anchor while the others helped support him.&nbsp; “We’re not going to let you fall.&nbsp; You have my word on th…” “WAAAAAAAAAAH!”&nbsp; With a sudden, surprised yelp from Lilith, the weight on the rope disappeared and a sickening THUD could be heard from inside the darkness. “What the hell?”&nbsp; Blinking stupidly, Kymil tried to figure out why all the weight on the rope had just suddenly disappeared.&nbsp; He had to do a double take to make certain the makeshift had hadn’t broken, and that it hadn’t slipped from his hands.&nbsp; Everything liked 100% functional from his side. “Lilith?!”&nbsp; Dropping to all fours, Mia quickly scrambled to the edge of the hole and peered inside. “I’m okay,” Lilith yelled up reassuringly.&nbsp; “I hurt my ass and ankle, but I’m more or less okay!” “What happened?” “Something crawled across my hand and bit me,” Lilith muttered embarrassingly.&nbsp; “But I’ll be okay!”&nbsp; Hopping over, she knelt down and frowned with concern over Martha. “Martha’s in bad shape,” Lilith yelled up.&nbsp; “I think she’s still bleeding!&nbsp; What do I do?” Various snippets of the others discussion above echoed down into the engulfing darkness which surrounded Lilith and Martha.&nbsp; Glancing around nervously, Lilith shivered as something seemed to breath an icy caress across the small hairs of her neck.&nbsp; The feeling of a dark, penetrating gaze of something staring unblinkingly at her from the darkness made her shiver uncontrollably. ‘Thunka, thunka.’ &nbsp;The sound of dull wood falling against stone, echoed upon the ground nearby, but Lilith barely noticed.&nbsp; The feeling of something judging her from the darkness was nearly all she could focus on, at the moment. “Use that to make a tourniquet,” Kymil yelled down from above. “Huh?”&nbsp; Glancing about confusedly, Lilith tried shaking her head to clear her thoughts.&nbsp; That dark intensity of being stared at by the darkness hadn’t eased at all. “The stick,” Kymil yelled, helpfully.&nbsp; “Use it to make a tourniquet!” “Good idea,” Lilith nodded, forcing herself to focus on the task at hand.&nbsp; The watcher — whoever, or whatever it was — would just have to wait.&nbsp; Moving surely now that her mind was focused on what needed to be done to help Martha, Lilith grabbed up the broken stick the others had tossed down for her.&nbsp; Without a single thought for ruining her expensive festival clothes, Lilith tore several of the colorful silken ribbons off her dress and used them with the stick to fashion as makeshift tourniquet for Martha’s leg. “It’s done,” Lilith yelled up to the others, the intense feeling of being watched and judged still weighing heavily all around her.&nbsp; “You.. you can lower the rope down anytime,” she stuttered, nervously. “We have already,” Kymil assured her.&nbsp; “Look behind you!” “Uh…&nbsp; Yeah…&nbsp; Yeah…”&nbsp; Distracted by the watcher, whatever it was, Lilith glanced around nervously and tried to focus on the rope.&nbsp; Yelling, she asked the others, “What’s the best way to secure a rope around someone who’s unconscious?” “Wrap it between her legs, and then around her waist and tie it off tightly,” Flinx shouted down to her, reassuringly. “Got it,” Lilith replied.&nbsp; “Give me just a moment!”

Prologue 4.3: &nbsp;Into The Rift Several moments later, as the others were pulling Martha slowly up out of the dark cavern she was in, Lilith was staring around nervously.&nbsp; The watcher in the darkness had made no sound, no movement, no hostility, but its presence was palpable and heavy all about.&nbsp; The feeling of a cold breath gently caressing the hairs on the back of her neck sent shivers through her whole body, and the darkness seemed to be ever growing stronger and pressing inward; with just the soft light from the tiny hole above keeping it at bay. ‘Plink!&nbsp; Plink!’&nbsp; The sound of water dripping on stone in the distance echoed, precariously amplified by Lilith’s frayed nerves. &nbsp;Soft dirt and rocks drifted down from the crumbling edges of the hole above, and tinkled gently on the ground about.&nbsp; And the darkness… The darkness concealed everything. Swallowing down the lump in her throat as best as she could, Lilith realized that she was surrounded by darkness.&nbsp; No matter which direction she turned, she couldn’t see a wall in any direction.&nbsp; Only the stone floor at her feet, and the rough ceiling with the hole in it above her, seemed to exist.&nbsp; Everything else was concealed by an impenetrable blackness beyond the range of human vision. “Mia…”&nbsp; Throat dry, it was getting hard for Lilith to swallow as her nerves began to turn against her. “Mia…&nbsp;&nbsp; Toss me your knife, please.”&nbsp; She barely managed to get the last part of her words whispered out, her throat was turning so dry.&nbsp; “I think…”, she croaked hoarsely, “there’s something down here with me…” ‘THINKA PLINKA TING!’&nbsp; Precious sparks flickered from the stone as a metal knife dropped from above and chipped the flooring, pushing back the darkness for the briefest of moments, in the most miniscule of places. “Oh!&nbsp; Thank goodness!”&nbsp; Rushing forward, as if she was reaching for a lifeline, Lilith grabbed the hilt of the knife and one of the stray sticks which Kymil had tossed down earlier.&nbsp; The wood was dry and brittle, and she’d seen the stone spark when the knife had fallen upon it from above.&nbsp; “Please light!&nbsp; Please!!”&nbsp; Desperately, Lilith struck the back of the blade against the floor repeatedly, hoping to create enough of a spark to set the stick aflame. “TINK!&nbsp; TINK!&nbsp; TINK!”&nbsp; Her efforts echoed loudly throughout the darkness, but no matter how many times she tried, the stick wouldn’t burn.&nbsp; The darkness sat cold and unmoving.&nbsp; Uncaring, it simply weighed down upon her, as if it was mocking her. “DAMMIT!”&nbsp; Screaming in frustration, Lilith tossed the useless stick into the darkness, watching it disappear without a trace.

Prologue 4.4: &nbsp;Into The Rift “Hey!&nbsp; How long are you going to hang around down there?”&nbsp; Kymil’s voice jarred Lilith back to her senses, and she blinked around confusedly.&nbsp; How long had she been alone in the darkness?&nbsp; A few seconds?&nbsp; Minutes?&nbsp; Was it days?&nbsp; Her nerves had overwhelmed her senses, and she wasn’t certain of anything anymore. Dazedly, Lilith grabbed ahold of the rope and let the others pull her up to the surface.&nbsp; With her mind still reeling and her thoughts still blanked, she remained silent and followed the others as they gently tried to carry Martha back towards the church.

Prologue 5: &nbsp;A Gentle Healer? “Hey!&nbsp; I see Mark down there!”&nbsp; Yelling excitedly, Mia rushed ahead out of the foothills, leading the way for the others.&nbsp; “Angelica is with him!&nbsp; They’re back at the church!” “Slow and steady,” Kymil warned the others, determined not to let Mia’s enthusiasm lead them to dropping Martha after they’d made it this far together.&nbsp; “Slow and steady.&nbsp; We’ll be there in a moment.” Ignoring the boys, and not noticing Lilith, who as still trailing behind dazedly, Mia rushed down screaming to get Mark’s attention as he went inside the church.&nbsp; Waving her arms frantically, Mia hopped up and down as she ran, hoping Angelica would notice her before shutting the doors of the church behind her as well.&nbsp; Everyone in town knew – Mark didn’t like Outsiders; he didn’t usually leave the doors open when they were around; and once the doors on the Rosewood Church were closed, they wouldn’t open for nobody, for any reason, until Mark decided the Outsiders were gone and reopened them. “ANGELICAAAAAA!!!”&nbsp; Mia screamed so hard, she felt almost as if her throat was going to explode from the effort. Stopping just feet from the door, Angelica tilted her head slightly from side to side, then turned.&nbsp; Looking up towards the foothills, she waved gently to Mia in the distance. “Oh.&nbsp; Thank goodness!&nbsp; Thank goodness!”&nbsp; Trying to catch her breath, Mia continued to sprint full speed down out of the foothills and towards the church.&nbsp; “Martha’s hurt!&nbsp; Get Mark!&nbsp; Martha’s hurt!” As Mia closed the distance, Angelica was finally able to make out the urgency in the tone of her voice.&nbsp; “Father!”&nbsp; Half screaming herself, Angelica rushed to head up the path and towards Mia.&nbsp; The others were just now topping the ridge where Mia had first spotted Mark and Angelica moments ago, as they carefully tried to support Martha’s still frame as much as possible.&nbsp; “OH!&nbsp; There’s trouble!”&nbsp; Yelling even louder this time, Angelica closed the last of the distance between herself and Mia, grabbing her tight in a hug.&nbsp; “Is it Martha?&nbsp; Is she okay?” “She’s bleeding.&nbsp; I think she’s hurt bad,” Mia informed her, rushedly.&nbsp; “We need Marrrrrr….” Mia’s voice trailed off and her jaw dropped open as Mark came bursting out of the church. Cloaked in what appeared to be a full suit of plate armor as black as the darkest night, Mark strode out of the church, eyes narrowed and scanning for any sign of danger.&nbsp; Grass began to wither and shrivel from the intense feeling of cold which emanated from his body, as he tightly griped a bone handled scythe in his hands; its blade every inch as long as a full grown man was tall. “Who dares trouble my home?”&nbsp; Speaking in a voice as silent as the grave, Mark scanned the horizon for whatever trouble Angelica was screaming to warn him about.&nbsp; Insects silenced themselves – or died from the intense presence which Mark was emitting – as a cold shadow flickered in out all directions with Mark as its epicenter. Nothing dared respond to the obvious threat in his voice, as the grip of Death settled across Mark’s frozen gaze. “Father!&nbsp; Martha’s hurt!”&nbsp; Only Angelica seemed immune to the penetrating aura of terror which was being emitted from Mark.&nbsp; “We’ve got to help her.” Nodding slightly, Mark glanced left and right one last time to make certain there wasn’t any threat to his church, and then he coughed lightly in embarrassment.&nbsp; “Bring her inside and to the alter,” he commanded, all business like, as the scythe and dark armor faded from around him, like wisps of dark fog rising once the sun has arisen in the morning.&nbsp; Turning briskly, he strode back into the church and headed to the altar. “What happened to her?”&nbsp; Angelica worriedly headed inside with the others as soon as they arrived at the church with Martha. “She fell in a hole…”&nbsp; Mia started to answer. “Place her here on the alter,” Mark interrupted, seeming to be his normal gentle self once again.&nbsp; “Is she still breathing,” he asked, worriedly, seeing how pale Martha was. “I think so,” Mia responded.&nbsp; “She fell..” “Uh-huh,” Mark responded, nodding his head slightly, as a knife seemed to appear in his hand from nowhere. “… down into a crevice of some kind up in…”, Mia continued, uninterrupted. “Uh-huh.”&nbsp; Mark nodded again, as he began to cut the clothes off Martha. “… the hills south of town,” Mia rambled on. “Uh-Huh.&nbsp; That’s good,” Mark muttered, nodding his head still gently to himself.&nbsp; “You don’t say.&nbsp; Go on,” he prompted, not even aware that everyone else had grown silent at this point. “Come on,” Angelica whispered.&nbsp; “When he gets focused like this, he doesn’t pay attention to anything else.&nbsp; Let’s head outside and let him do his work alone for now.”&nbsp; Turning, she carefully tiptoed away from the altar and towards the door, motioning for everyone to follow her.

Prologue 6: &nbsp;Afterwards “I’m just so upset with myself,” Angelica half sobbed.&nbsp; “Father and I had seen Bobby earlier, and he told us about how you guys had all went into the foothills to look for Martha, but I never really thought she was actually hurt!&nbsp; I’d just assumed &nbsp;she’d just went home when he didn’t find her.&nbsp; I should’ve been up there helping look for her!”&nbsp; Tears freely streaked down her face, as Angelica was clearly feeling guilty after hearing everyone’s explanation of what had happened. “AHH!&nbsp; Bobby!”&nbsp; Half yelling, Amari slapped himself hard upside the head, as he suddenly remembered Bobby.&nbsp; “He has my puppy!” “Wait?!&nbsp; He stole your puppy?” Kymil seemed utterly baffled at the sudden turn of events. “No…,” Flinx stressed.&nbsp; “He didn’t steal it.&nbsp; Amari gave it to him.&nbsp; Remember?” “Not to keep,” Amari declared! “I’ll buy you another puppy,” Mia promised.&nbsp; “Just let him keep that one.” “No!&nbsp; That was my puppy,” Amari pouted.&nbsp; “I was going to give it to Angelica!” Blinking, Angelica simply looked confused.&nbsp; How did everyone suddenly go from worrying about Martha perhaps dying, to worrying over a misplaced pet which as just going to be gave away anyway?&nbsp; “Ummm…. Guys, if you’re not too busy…”&nbsp; Her voice faltered, as she half bit her lip seeking the words she wanted to say. “If you would,” she continued, after a moment, “would one of you go and tell Martha’s mother what happened?&nbsp; Let her know that Martha’s here at the temple and she can come check on her anytime.”&nbsp; From the sound of her voice, it didn’t seem as if she really expected anyone to take her up on her request. “For me?”&nbsp; Half begging, half fluttering her eyelashes, Angelica did her best to appeal to the group before her. “I’m on it!”&nbsp; Half saluting, Amari turned and just suddenly took off running. Blinking even more confusedly, Angelica couldn’t understand how he could go from being so concerned about the puppy he didn’t want to keep, to just instantly forgetting about it and running off to deliver a message.&nbsp; “I’m… I’m going to go inside and see if I can help Father.”&nbsp; Walking past the odd group of capricious youths, she hurried into the temple and rushed to Mark’s side. “I’m going to go kick a puppy thief’s ass,” Kymil promised, popping his knuckles, as he started to walk off. “No you’re not!”&nbsp; Rushing after his friend, Flinx was determined to keep Kymil out of trouble. “I’ll go buy another puppy,” Mia promised, as she ran off in a different direction. And Lilith…&nbsp; Lilith simply wandered off alone, silent and forlorn; still dazed from the oppressive feeling from the darkness inside the cavern.

Prologue 6.1: &nbsp;Afterwards “It’s Bobby!”&nbsp; Rushing in front of Kymil, Flinx hurried up the path, as Bobby and Trent — &nbsp;the captain of the village guards — quickly hurried from the other direction towards them. “Have you found the girl?&nbsp; Martha?”&nbsp; Trent was all business from the start. “We have,” Flinx started.&nbsp; “She’s at the..” “Where’s the puppy?!”&nbsp; Kymil completely cut him off, glaring daggers at Bobby? “What puppy?”&nbsp; Trent blinked a few times in confusion.&nbsp; What did a puppy have to do with Martha being lost?&nbsp; “The one Bobby had?” He hazard a guess.&nbsp; “It’s back at the guard house, where we left it.” “You’re… You’re holding the puppy hostage until we tell you about Martha?!” &nbsp;Kymil half stammered as his mind once again made an impossible leap. “No one’s holding the puppy hostage,” Flinx tried to reassure him.&nbsp; “Martha’s at the temple.&nbsp; She was hurt and Mark’s treating her.” Nodding slightly, Trent frowned one last time over at Kymil’s odd behavior, but then walked past, rapidly heading towards the temple.&nbsp; He knew, chances were much better that he could get to the root of the problem faster by going to see Mark, than he ever could by wasting him time with children. Seeing the look on Kymil’s face, Bobby hurried and rushed after him as fast as his feet would carry him.

Prologue 6.2: &nbsp;Afterwards Amari had a shiver of anxiety quiver up his spine as he approached Martha’s home.&nbsp; Dark, bleak, and sad, her home stood out separate from any of the brightly decorated houses nearby.&nbsp; Even though it was the Festival of Colors, and tradition said to wrap one’s self and home in as many bright colors as possible, Martha’s family’s home was dull, gray, and completely barren of any decoration. Martha’s father — Esmond — had a reputation of being a notorious drunk with a foul temper, who never wanted anyone around his place, and Amari couldn’t help but fear what might happen if he was home.&nbsp; Slowly and cautiously, he tiptoed up the dilapidated steps and onto the porch.&nbsp; Swallowing back a lump in his throat, Amari forced himself to knock on the door. “Go away!&nbsp; I don’t want whatever you’re selling!”&nbsp; An irritated woman’s voice yelled back from inside almost instantly. “Umm…. I’m not selling anything,” Amari promised, fretfully.&nbsp; “Martha’s been hurt,” he added, a little more loudly. Muffled sounds of shuffling came from the other side of the door, until it finally cracked a few inches open several moments later?&nbsp; “Martha’s hurt?”&nbsp; Peeking though the small gap of the doorway, Xandra wearily peered outside while blocking all view into the house itself.&nbsp; “What’s wrong with my baby?”&nbsp; Obvious concern and worry was heavy in her voice.&nbsp; “Did… Did Esmond do something to her?”&nbsp; Her voice was quivering lightly as she asked. “No ma’am,” Amari reassured her, as best as he could.&nbsp; “Martha fell down into a cavern up in the hills south of town and she’s hurt bad…” “How bad is it?”&nbsp; Xandra asked, drawing in a deep breath while fearing the worst.&nbsp; “Is she… Is she dead?” “She’s not dead,” Amari informed her.&nbsp; “At least she wasn’t when we left her at the temple with Mark,” he added, a bit too informatively.&nbsp; “Was you?&nbsp; Was you the one who found her?”&nbsp; Xandra asked, staring intently out past the small gap and at Amari. “We did,” Amari corrected her.&nbsp; “Bobby was with her and he came and told us, so we all set out to find her together.&nbsp; At first, we thought she’d just gotten lost playing hide and seek with him.” “Wait here.”&nbsp; Without giving Amari a chance to respond, Xandra suddenly slammed the door shut in his face.&nbsp; Once again, the sound of things being shuffled back and forth echoed through the rickety old door. A few moments later, Xandra stepped out onto the porch and held a dingy, tattered old handsack out to Amari.&nbsp; “Take this,” she insisted.&nbsp; “It’s not much, but you deserve something for helping my Martha.&nbsp; She’s my only girl, you know.” “I’m… I’m sorry it isn’t more,” she apologized.&nbsp; “It’s been a rough year, with Esmond being sick and all, but it’s Harvest time now.&nbsp; I’d saved this in case he needed any more medicine, but we’ll be fine now, I’m certain.&nbsp; I want you to have this.” “No.&nbsp; No, I couldn’t.”&nbsp; Amari insisted, waving his hands back and forth, refusing to take the small sack. “Are you certain?&nbsp; You deserve something for you efforts,” Xandra insisted. “Absolutely,” Amari assured her.&nbsp; “We were happy to help.&nbsp; You don’t owe us anything.” “Fine.”&nbsp; Nodding slightly, Xandra promised, “I won’t forget this.”&nbsp; Tucking the small sack down inside a pocket of her plain gray dress, she moved and hurried off the porch and headed towards the church, leaving Amari standing there all alone by himself.

Prologue 6.3 : &nbsp;Afterwards It was nearly half an hour later by the time everyone managed to meet once again at the northern bridge – everyone except Lilith, who was still absent, doing her own thing. “We’ve got your puppy,” Kymil declared triumphantly, holding up the small bundle of squirming dogflesh that him and Flinx had retrieved from the guardhouse. “But I got Amari a new puppy,” Mia declared, holding up a second little squirming pup.&nbsp; “I thought we’d agreed to let Bobby keep that one?” “Wait?” Amari laughed, happily.&nbsp; “So now I gots two puppies?!&nbsp; It’s the bestest best day ever!”&nbsp; Taking both, he hugged them tight and rubbed his face in their soft downy fur. “You should give one to Bobby,” Mia suggested.&nbsp; “You don’t need two puppies, after all.” “Nuh-Uh,” Amari refused.&nbsp; “They’re both mine!”

Prologue 6.4 : &nbsp;Afterwards As the others were all occupying themselves in a loud, youthful argument about what to do with two pups, Lilith was slowly working her way up towards where The Lost River made its way into town.&nbsp; Every year, at the end of the Festival of Colors, as the sun was going down and beginning to kiss the horizon, the townsfolks of Dobbin’s Hollow poured barrels of dye into the river, turning it into a living rainbow ribbon.&nbsp; Children laughed and chased the dye as it was carried downstream, through the village, &nbsp;to the other side of the valley, to where the river disappeared back into a deep crevasse in the earth.&nbsp; Squeals of laughter and joy echoed all throughout the village, slowly working its way into Lilith’s heart.&nbsp; For the first time since she’d felt the unwavering gaze of whatever it was, which had been watching and judging her in the cave, she managed to relax and calm her frayed nerves.