A. N. I. L. A. H

AN: I'd rather call this a prologue because it focuses on Mallik's past...you guys read it for yourself. Oh and of course, R&R is welocmed. Please no flaming, constructive critisim yes, but no flaming please

P.S: I claim all these ideas and characters...pretty much this whole story so dont try to take any of my stuff!

Here are the characters that are introduced in this chapter.

Name: Mallik Atrata

Age:18

Race:ANILAH

Eye Color: Purple

Hair Color: Brown

Class: Dragoon/Warrior

Weapon: Poll with two sharp daggers at both ends

Name: Kella

Age:17

Race:ANILAH

Eye Color: Aqua/green

Hair Color: Strawberry blonde

Class: Archer

Weapon:Bow and Arrow

Name: Serenity Atrata(Mallik's mother)

Age: possibly late 30s

Race:ANILAH

Natural Eye Color: Dark grey

Hair Color: White/gray

Class: Temptress

Weapon: none

Chapter 1: Nightmares Do Come True

It was dark and gloomy. No lights, just plain darkness. Through that darkness stood a young man, as if he was waiting for someone. He stayed there for days on end, waiting alone. Everything he owned and everyone he knew disappeared out of life, one by one. No one was there to guide him, no one for him to care for, to love, or to even see. Emptiness wrapped around him, nothing more. Soon, the man disappeared also, not returning. The last thing there was around was a light, and it got closer...and closer and...

"Whoa! What the-"

Mallik's eyes opened up wide, sweat ran down his face to his wrinkly sheets. He look at the palms of his hands and felt his face. He sighed with relief. It was just a dream. He swept his silky brown hair out of his face and rose out of his bed. Sulking around his room, still half asleep, he walked to his mirror and looked at himself.

"What kind of dream was that? Thats...different."

He shook it off and began to wipe the crust out of his purple eyes. As he did so, his door slammed open. A female figure stood there, her pericing aqua green eyes glaring at him. Her look she was giving him was not very welcoming.

"Why the heck are you in my room! Get out!"

The girl rose her hand up at him and pointed her finger towards him.

"You ol' dirtbag! You took my spell book! Give it back! NOW!"

He rose an eyebrow at him, as she did the same.

"Its too early to be bustin in my room like that anyway, Kella! You know what my mom said..."

She slammed her hand on his desk hard, making the pencils fall to the ground and the paper float towards his rug.

"I could careless what she said right now, your not supposed to be going through my stuff!"

"Ahhhh, shut up! Your not even a mage, so why in the world do you need it?!"

She gasped. She quickly became angered and wanted to get her revenge back. Kella's blue tank top shimmered in the sunlights rays through his window. She looked to her left, and in a huge case on the wall, stood his father's prized power poll. The jewels and the the dagger glowed, as if it had its own aura. The red, yellow, and blue ribbons moved side to side slowly, like an calm ocean. Mallik looked at Kella and back at his father's weapon. He knew what she was planning. He has known her for over 10 years, and he knows what that devilish look means when Kella does it. Total payback. He started to move himself towards her, trying to grab her fragile arm.

"No...dont even-"

"Oh hush boy!" she blurted out, stopping him from finishing his sentenced. She ran to the case and open the glass seal. Her hands grabbed it, as she hit a fighting stance. She grinned and taunted him, trying to provoke him.

"Ah ha! Who has the power now, huh? Payback is sweet!" She started to chuckle a bit when he quickly grabbed her arms, making her drop the deadly weapon.

"You wanna say that again?" he asked, with a smirk, struggling to keep her wild body from escaping his grip.

"Let me go! Oh, I cant stand you..."

"I love you too," he laughed as he let go of her, but pushed her instead. She almost fell over the weapon, but keeping balance. She ran over and snatched her book and walked to the door.

"Argh, next time you wanna look at my book, dont, got it?"

He rolled his eyes as she walked out the door. Kella and Mallik have been close friends for a long time, but when a natural disaster hit the town in Madira her family died withn seconds. Seeing Mallik's family was the closest thing she had, she lives with them. They practically act like brother and sister with each. They sworn they'd never be torn apart, but promises dont always last.

Mallik put his red bandana on and dressed himself. He was always the adventerous type. The one who always knew what to do in a crisis or in a time a need. He was a great leader, like his father. He didn't like to be compared to his father at all. Mallik wanted to be known as his own person, not "Nero's son". Years after his father went on a quest on finding the Guardian X, the towns folk always looked at him as "Nero's son". Everyone expected the most out of him, because his father was a excellent leader, non the less a skilled warrior. Nero left when Mallik was 11, leaving his mother and him alone in the huge city. Mallik had plans for himself, setting his own goals in life. Though, right now, all he had on his mind on his father.

"Dad, today is the day you promised you'd come back. You'd better not fail me"

Five years ago, Nero made a seldom promise to Mallik he'd be back in five years. If he didn't, Madira would face some devestating or life threating circumstances. Mallik believed his father. His mother, never said a word, not even a single tear rolled down her eyes. It was strange, why would everyone on the planet, be crying because he was leaving, while his mother never even said good-bye, his own wife? Mallik shook that thought out of his head and walked out to the kitchen to notice that his mother wasn't there. Kella walked out and smiled at Mallik.

"Hiya! Nice morning, eh?" she started to laughed.

"Oh, so now you wanna be nice?"

"Oh come on, you know I get gumpy in the morning." She made an innocent look, as if she never did anything.

"Heheheh, Kella, you know you just lied right?"

She looked dumbfounded and pushed Mallik, getting angry again.

"You..you. Ah, forget it!"

Mallik laughed, but it he soon stopped. He realized his mother wasn't in her home, which meant only on thing. He started to get worried and full of fear. His race could end soon. The Anilah could be no more. Anilah are people who have extreme magical powers. They are humans with abnormal apperances. Like they're eyes aren't normally colored, nor they're build. They have wings, but rarely see them, because they mean something bad is going to happen.

"Kella, did my mom say where she was going?"

Kella was stuffing her face with cookies,enjoying herself, she turned around with cookies crumbs all around her mouth.

"Nope, Serenity didn't say anything..whats today anyway?"

"AHH! Your no help! She could be a the temple you idiot!"

"Whaa! Oh, crap. Danger is comin!?" Kella gasped dramatically. Mallik looked at her, with a confused expression.

"No duh! Come on,"

Kella grabbed her bow and arrow, as he grabbed his father's twin dagger poll. As he ran with it, he prayed that his mother was alright. If she wasn't home and didn't tell anyone where she was going, bad things were going to happen. It so happens his mother is a Temptress, who controls ones feelings to her own bidding. She could turn on peoples emotions and behaviors from happy to dangerous, making them a instant killer. And vise versa.Her power was far beyond any other one in their race. Unfortunatly, Mallik never got his mother's ablities, only his father's.

They quickly ran down the busy streets, jumped over fences, ran through people so quickly that they didn't even get a glimpse. The aquatic furturistic city shined brilliantly. Nothing more beautiful could ever come near this amazing place. The humble city was full of excitement, but Mallik had his doubts on his home that it wouldn't last for so long. Plus, today was the day of the Celebration of the Flower of Life and Regeneration, meaning the mothers in the town would be celebrated for there dedication to their ability to give birth. Serenity Mallik wanted his father to be here, to honor his mother for being there for him. He hoped for the best.

They finally reached an path leading to the Temple Grounds, where his mother was at praying. They ran inside and he grasped his mother, hugging her close.

"Stop please, dads coming back so and he'll-"

"Do nothing. He's not coming back!"

A tear rolled her face and on to the cold floor, the soft sound echoing inside the temple.

"He'll do nothing!" she yelled. You could hear her voice crackling behind her cries. Mallik let go and stepped away, his dagger pool in his hands. As he held it, his grip got tighter. Tatum could see the tension in his arms. Kella backed way towards the door and held her staff in front of her.

"Miss, please, we are trying to help you! We know what your doing."

His mother shook her head and stood up and walked to Mallik. Her cold hand touched his cheek and her gray eyes started dilating. He could still see the tear stains on her face, his heart pounding as if it was about to pop out of his chest.

"Your crying...I've never seen you cry before."

"I know, I never have. At least not around you, but I need to tell you something thats going to change your entire life."

Mallik braced himself as he stepped away from her. Kellas grabbed Mallik's arm and leaned towards his ear.

"Mallik, what in the world is going on with your mom?" as she whispered in his ear. He shrugged, he didn't know. He was too afraid to find out. The tone of her voice frightened him, nontheless the fact that she was at temple grounds.

"Nero is never coming back. I knew from the start..."

"But why-"

His sentences was interpted by a huge crash heard from withn the city.

His mother walked to the door pass Kella and turned around and looked at them.

"Its happening..."

Mallik and Kella ran out side the temple to see the sky all cloudy and dark. The booming noise was heard coming from the city up north. He knew exactly what was going to become of his home. Plus, he father had lied to him. He couldn't trust his father anymore than he did when he was a child. Kella turned to Mallik and walked towards his mother. His mother passed Kella, trying to reach her son. She was carrying a pendant with a crystal hooked to a gold chain. He turned around, aware that they must see what is going on, but instead he caught his eyes on the pendant his mother was holding. She smiled weakly and handed him the pendant.

"Here take this, its...something to remember your past."

He nodded and hugged his mother once more for the last time. He tried to hold his depression away from his mother, trying not to seem as though he wasn't going to come back alive, but she knew she'd never see him again. Seeing this was a depressing moment for them two, Kella decided to run on ahead. She didn't feel comfortable around them at all. She felt like she wasn't known. Was she beginning to become jealous of his mother? How they are so close, even though they have different views and dont agree that much with each other. This bothered her all too much. Mallik let go of his mother to look where Kella was at. She was gone.

"Oh crap, Kella, KELLA! Where are you?!"

He ran around, hectic and seriously worried to where his close friend has disappeared. With all the confusion he didn't really know what was happening, and her disapperance just made it worse. Yet, seeing this is Kella, her goofy and "tricks" could fool him.

"Haha, real funny Kella! Im done! Im not playing anymore!"

He soon stopped as he heard his mom behind him fall to her knees. She was losing her life as the minutes passed by. Her white long hair hung in front of her face, as if she was a ghostly figure. Each time she took a breathe, her heart was slowing down, slower and slower. Mallik could'nt believe what he was seeing. His own mother dying right in front of his eyes. He couldn't control his emotions any longer, he had to let it go.

"Nooo! Mom!"

He balled his fist and slammed it into the ground, making the ground vibrate. He looked at his fist, streams of blood pouring from his wound. He stared at it and look at his mother. Her gray eyes suddenly turned into at somky quartz color. With her last few breathes she reached out to her son, her body temperature dropping rapidly. Her tears were becoming soild icicles hanging from her face.

"...Control...your anger my dear son. Go..now...find Kella..."

He couldn't believe what he was seeing. Could his dream he had that very morning have something to do with this? He wonder as his mother was dying in front of him. Without saying a single word, he nodded at his mother's request and clutched the crystal pendant. He let out a huge sigh and started to run away from the horrifying temple. His mother watched him run away from her presence, as her frown turned into a weak smile, making her last smile one she could never regret.

Each step he took, he ran even faster. Not turning back. Running through the deep woods, ducking and dodging branches without fear. Finally he reached his home...in ashes and ruins. People, lying on the ground lifeless. The buildings stood crooked, some even had fallen. His eyes grew large, as so did his anger. He walked slowly over the dead bodies and rubble that layed beneath him. His boots, crunching the dead brown leaves, made an echoing sound. He was alone...

To his surprise though, the Flower of Life and Regeneration stood there, planted into the dark soil that had been worshipped. He bent over to touch it, but as his hands got close, the plant wilted and the white petals calmly fell to the ground, one by one. As they hit the ground, they'd turned into to dust. Right now, he felt as if everything around him was dying because of his father. He had a strong hunch, but could it be another reason? So many questions, but so too many few answers.

A swift wind blew over him, making the dust fly away with the wind. He lifted himself up, to see a figure standing on a huge pile of rubble, their hair blowing in the wind. He tried to get a good glimpse of the mysterious person. He walked closer to stop. It was Kella, but not the one he knew for 10 years. He could feel her aura. Dark and full of emptiness, nothing else to live for. Her outfit, turned from a lighthearted blue to a devilsh black and red.

"Wha...Kella is that you?"

She turned around, her eyes now the color of coal, but shiny as a pearl.He couldn't belive it what was happening.

"No..it cant happen like this.This must be a dream!"

"Its not. This is the real thing. Your life is going to change for ever. You cant help that. Pandora's Box will make sure that'll happen."

Her voice sounded as though there were two people inside of that body, as if someone was using her body to communicate with Mallik. To add to his confusion, Kella completly changed from what he once knew before.

"What are you talking about?! What is this Pandora's-" he ended that with a gasp. He had heard of tales of Pandora's Box and how it will release demons to attack living creatures and end all of humanity. Though, the last thing to appear out of it was hope. The light that would save everyone. Releasing the power of good and destroying the evil doers that ran on the very planet. His thoughts were interupted by a sharp pain that struck his heart. He fell to his knees, now his life was in jeopardy. Kella stood there, her body disappearing like a ghost. Clear. Mallik held his chest,while holding his pendant. Suddenly, a voice called his name again and again. He looked around. No one.

"Mom?" Somehow, Serenity teleported her voice into his mind, she was using her last bit of energy to contact him.

"Yes, it is. Please, I dont want you to die, you are our only hope for our race. Anilah must stay alive. You are the one who can unlock the key to Hope. The one whos' destiny and fate determines this world...and others, direction in the future. "

"What? Why me? I-I-..."

"Dont say you cant do it!" her voice sounded as it was threating. Mallik was shocked, but stayed quiet and let his mother talk to him. He treasured his mother's last words.

"Now please, hear me out. You will be dormineted in a special barrier of ice that will save you and keep you inside until you must fufill your destiny."

"Ice?WHAT! I never heard of this before! Please tell me...!"

Her voice started to crackle, you could immediately tell she was crying.

"I will miss you..."

After that, Serenity's voice faded away from his mind and kept as a last memory of her. He continued to hold his chest. A bright light blinked past his eyes.Mallik look towards the sky. A glowing beam was created and shot down on him.His body then, was entirely covered in ice. Frozen, not able to move a single muscle through his whole body, he was stuck inside there however long destiny wants him dormented inside...

A.N: I think I made some mistakes, but not TOO many. Chapter 2 is on its way