I don’t know what hit me, I must have been laying unconscious for hours on the forest ground. I realized this when I saw the animals crowded around me and were unafraid, staring at me like there was something wrong. I sat up and they continued to stare, but soon scurried off into the shadows. I stood and began walking, noticing something different about the woods. The trees were dieing, slowly dieing. I was completely lost. Soon after an hour of walking, my memory came back. A group of bandits raided my house during my sleeping hours. They must have knocked me out. But no matter how odd these woods felt and looked, they were my woods, the ones I grew up in. Finally I found my way home to find my stuff ransacked. I had nothing. I was sort of confused and dazed at the site, but found my sword, and some armor hidden behind the walls and walked off to find my life savings.

This was where my adventure began. I have always been a good fighter, my long sword as my trusty weapon and my armor, light as It may be, my protector of my soul. But I knew very well that my agility and my skill were my true protectors. And my resourcefulness, and my knowledge are by my side as well. I was trained by my father, which he was a legend. His legend was a legacy short lived, he was assassinated by the king of Tereun. After many years of my pain and suffering I drew up and killed the king and then became reclusive and hid in the forest of Seseria. The bounty on my head drove men mad to kill me, after a while they forgot and a new king arose. One no better than the last. But I did not care, I did not care for anything in the world. They never cared for me…

Years after this I trained harder. I mastered the sword and dueled to earn money in far off towns. After a year of this, I settled down alone, in Seseria forest. I lived and wrote and practice in case I ever needed to fight again. Until this day came, when rouges stole my life from me, I had nothing anymore. All my work gone, because of someone’s misfortunate greed! Well I was not about to let someone take my earnings away from me. I will fight trying to get my items back or I will die trying, I have nothing to live for.

The forest became darker as I walked, I didn’t understand. I never remembered the woods so dark. Almost as they were cursed, just a few days ago they could not compare… I walked further in and came upon a small house, I knew the people who lived there. I walked up to the door and knocked, I walked in and saw no one about. I searched the house until I found what I was looking for. Yet they weren’t how I wanted to see them. Each were dead and mutilated into bloody pulps. Sadly enough, I knew these people, and they were my only way to find the bandits that took my stuff in the first place.

I was furious. I ran out side and asked everyone I saw. Until I found an old lady who told me. I went to the cave that she told me about and went inside. It wasn’t an ordinary cave… more like a tomb… I walked through the narrow stone hallways and open the stone doors to reveal more rooms. I listen carefully to my surroundings waiting for them to come back. And when they did I slaughtered them. Each and every one I cut open and watched bleed. Then I search the thieves’ loot to find my items, yet there was nothing, nothing of mine in the slaughter room. I searched another and found some of my stuff, including my most prized treasure, the gem. It glistened, in the dim lantern, lit light of the tomb. It was cold and felt wondrous to the touch. I love it so much because I found it myself. It had the most meaning of all things to me. I gathered up what I could and started to go to town to rent a mule, but was stopped, by a man. He was dressed in white armor, and stared at me to solemnly. He stared and then came up to me.

“you are, Swwigy I presume?” he asked, his voice echoed, almost like it didn’t belong in this time but all days and years. It felt almost terrifying, but soothingly soft. It was filled with love, not hate at all. It felt as if I was spoken to by a supreme being.

“yes, I am, why do you want to know?”

“good” he walked around me and I followed him with my eyes… “you have been chosen by myself to complete something I can not.”

“I don’t understand you”

He stare, with out blinking, “ok I will explain easier for you, as a mortal, to understand… a long time ago, 5 gems were made, each held power to destroy or create. They were given to a man, who was order to make the world, but he became greedy, and the gods killed him and threw the diamonds around the world. Today, another evil being is looking for the gems, he will not stop, and will get them at all cost. It is good you got your back before he could take yours. He paid these thieves to steal everything of yours, and he would pick it up himself. As of his faults, he did not get it himself, so he does not have it. You do. He is currently on his way here so you must flee to the north and retrieve another from a lady, then I will show you the rest of the legend and also let you unlock the power yourself. Then you will destroy them with their own power. Good luck…” he walked out and I followed him, then he changed into a bird and flew away.

I looked at my gem, it was blue… my favorite…

The next day I started from town on my newly bought horse. I followed my feelings… into the north. Days past and I continued, the sky was lighter up here, the sun shone brilliantly. I set up a camp in a small clearing, and started a fire then went off into the wood to find food. I saw some small squirrels and hid from them. I drew my sling and flung a rock to the head. The squirrel was still alive so I slit its throat and let the blood drain from it. Then I cleaned it and cooked it over the fire. My horse sounded… I looked at it and it was uneasy. I went back to eating and I heard something in the wood. I pulled my sword closer to me and still ate. Then again a crack. I shoved the last piece in my mouth and got up and went to the edge of the woods to fight. Behind me I felt a rush of wind and then there was no light… the fire blew out. I turned and saw nothing, I went to light the fire again and a rope flew around me and I fell to the ground. Then I heard a voice.

“who are you and want are you doing in my woods!!” she asked impatiently.

“I am just passing through, don’t kill me, I have done nothing wrong”

“quiet trespasser” she kicked me over and I looked at her. She looked like a mage. “speak in little phrases and few words”

“how else am I going to explain my actions”

“little words!!”

“ok ok, who are you?” I asked hoping to not get killed. It would be different if I was more prepared! Which never happens…

“I am Redlady, sorceress, and keeper of charms.”

“speak in little words, me too stupid”

“silence fool” she said and then kicked me, “ I answered your question, now answer mine, give me one good reason to let you go through here!”

“can I speak in a long phrase”

“go ahead, but I will kick you when your done”

“ok…” I was silent, “I am on a quest, one that I did not choose to complete, it decided the fate of the world!… untie me and ill tell you the rest”

“fine,” she untied me and I stood up in front of her, yet my weapon was far out of reach “ yes I must acquire 4 gems including the one I already have…” I noticed her red gem on her neck “yes and I need a red one too…”

She looked at her own gem and stared at me “your not getting mine”

“yes but I need it, seriously. I’m not a thief, I just had my house ransacked!! Just give it to me, now” I reached for it… she blocked my hand.

“thief, stop it!!”

“please… what’s that noise,” I looked around, she did too “banshees?”

“yes, banshees, here is a charm to kill them” she magically created a charm and gave it to me… “ill pick them off and you distract”

“wait, I’m not walking into your line of fire!!” I yelled.

“be quiet and do as your told” she glared at me “now” I ran and grabbed my sword and hacked at the banshees as they flew by me. An magic fire bolt flew into one and it dissipated. Each time one died they fell into the darkness. Redlady continued to cast, very fast too. I was amazed at her archer abilities… I also continued to fight. The battle only last 4 minutes and we both came out alive. It was worthwhile as my father used to consider these battles.

“good magic Redlady” I complemented.

“you are good with a sword, and here I thought you were a scoundrel that whines a lot.”

“I was not whining… I was begging you, which isn’t usually what I do. Sadly I cant find my self anymore. I’m so lost sometimes.” I told her solemnly…

“I understand, we all go through the maze of life and some of us get confused”

“exactly the words I have wrote before… heh I wish you would just trust me…”

“I’m sorry, but I found this gem…”

“so did I” I pulled out mine too “a few years ago in a river basin. No gem have I ever saw so perfect as this one.”

“heh, same here.” she looked at hers “sorry about being cruel at first, I usually don’t trust strangers in my forest, this place was given to me by my parents. I feel I must protect it. And you killed a squirrel… and ate it… well so do I so I guess never mind then”

“heh” I heard a bird land in a tree, then on the ground. It changed into the man I met earlier… “greetings old man, which I don’t know your name”

“hello, Swwigy, my name is not important, but I see that you found another with a gem… but is she reluctant to give it up”

“yes, but I understand, I slaughtered those thieves when they took mine”

“let me explain, and further in case you in this quest…” he explain what he told me in the beginning to Redlady and then turned to both of us… “yes and also each gem has a special elemental power… your Swwigy, is ice and the Redlady’s is fire… to use them… you require a spell…” he raised his hands and castled magic over both of us. “now both of you possess the ability to use you gems. There are 3 more though. By the way Redlady, you accept this quest?”

“I believe I will do so”

“she gets a chance to say no!!… and not me?”

“you want to abandon your quest, Swwigy?” the oracle said quietly.

“no I would say yes, but I don’t like the fact you ran off before I could answer”

“excuse me, I had to test you and red with the harmless banshees”

“fake!! You put fake banshees in my forest!! How dare you!” Red screamed

“excuse me again… anyhow… I recommend going to the Temple of the Dead south west of here and acquiring new items, then heading off to receive the next three gems. Both of you will find something there, but you’ll have to kill the undead king to get it… and his followers. So be careful and my guidance be your light…” he turned back into raven form and flew off into the darkness, I turned to red and then lit a fire and fell asleep. After this I think she walked of somewhere but in the morning she was in camp waking me up…