Authors Notes: First and Foremost, these characters are totally fictional, any appearance to any persons real or unreal is totally coincidental. Also, they are MY INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY! And cannot be used without my express WRITTEN permission. Also note, this is a reposting of the story, as the first posting has been lost in history here.

Now, without further ado, enjoy my creation....

Legends of Myhrr: The Order

By Clayton Blanchard

Chapter 1

Morgan was annoyed today. Not at anything in particular mind you, just in general. Today, everything just seemed to go wrong. Earlier in the morning the family cow, Bess, had decided to break out of the barn and wander off. It took poor Morgan and his father four hours to find that cow, then another two to mend the break in the barn fence, but that was not what annoyed Morgan. It also appeared that a family of gophers had taken residence in the families vegetable garden, and had eaten half the roots away already. Morgan was currently working on digging up the garden in an attempt to remove the gophers, and it was not going well. This though was not what annoyed him. No, he was annoyed because today was his fifteenth birthday, and that meant that soon he would have to stand with the other townsfolk his age in front of one of the monks of the Order. He shuddered at that thought as he caught one of the gophers with his shovel. "Sorry little fellow but you can't live here." He picked up the poor animal and dropped him unceremoniously into the box he kept near, along with the other two gophers he had already caught. His mind wandered a bit, and he thought about what soon would come to pass. He dreaded what might happen, and thought of what the Order really was.

The Order, as it was known, was in reality The Order of the Five Disciplines. No one, save the monks who were a part of it knew much about it, save this. A decree had been issued by the King of Rendora, and the decree stated that every year, once a year, monks would be sent from their hidden monastery in the mountains, in northern Rendora, to every town and city in the country. Then, every single person of the town who was the age of fifteen was made to stand in front of the monk. If the monk deemed that any of the children were "gifted", those children were then taken away by the monk to the hidden monastery of the Order, where he would be trained in whatever mystical arts the monks there knew. The parents were not allowed to stop the monk, once he had found a gifted child. Soon the monk would reach Payta, the town where Morgan lived and like all the other children his age had to do, would be forced to stand and be judged by the monk.

Morgan continued his digging, working hard until it was sundown. He had trapped a grand total of five gophers, and was duly proud of himself. He picked up the box and shovel, and went to the tool shed. He placed the shovel in its normal spot within the shed then sat the box next to it. He would come back in the morning to set the gophers free somewhere. Tonight though, he would have his birthday party to attend in town. His parents had already left a few hours before to help get things ready, and as was tradition, he would be the last to show up to the party. He grinned at the thought of dancing with the girls, especially Cassandra, the town beauty. He had always had a crush on her, and much to the dismay of the other males of Payta, had grown up with her. She also was fifteen, meaning she too would stand when the time of Choosing approached. He shrugged off that worry, determined to enjoy himself. He took a quick bath, to wash off the sweat of the workday and the grim and dirt he had managed to cover himself in while digging. Then he went to his room and got dressed in his favorite tunic and trousers, and put on the brand new pair of boots his parents had bought him, and without any hesitation, began to walk towards town.

When Morgan arrived the party was in full swing, but that didn't stop him from pushing his way to the middle of the square. Payta was a small town, more of a farming community with a town hall, church, traders and tavern in the center of the community. These four buildings sat around a fountain, a gift to the town from King Aldram. But none of this mattered to Morgan. He was too busy trying to dodge other towns people, all wanting to wish him a happy life. He wanted to reach the fountain, where all the food and drink was.

"Hey Morgan! Congratulations! Happy Birthday!", said a red haired youth who Morgan knew.

"Hey Michell, how are you doing? Save any food for me?" Morgan grinned.

Michell waved a hand and showed Morgan the repast that sat behind him. Morgan just stared open mouthed. There was so much food. There was his favorite, roast tantoun, a kind of beast, as well as things like beef, an entire roast pig, salad, a literal dozen pies, several kinds of ale and wine, and of course the cake. Morgan stood in awe of the cake, a huge confectionery creation. Standing what appeared to be ten layers high, the cake positively glowed in the moonlight. On the very top of the cake were the numbers one and five, made from spun sugar, so the moonlight would make them sparkle. And sparkle they did. Morgan was greeted as he rushed to the table by his parents, Phillip and Martha. "Well son, today is the day that you become a man. I know you will be a fine, fine man." Phillip then got close to his sons ear. "And of course," he whispered, "you would need a fine wife, like Cassandra." Morgan began to immediately blushed while his father laughed loudly. Martha simply hugged her son, then stood back to help attend to the guests of the party.

The band played loudly, a song that most of the people of Payta knew. Morgan had downed three glasses of ale, and those being his first ever, was of course slightly tipsy. With some urging from Michell, he had somehow been convinced that he should ask Cassandra for a dance. So Morgan walked over to where the group of males where, knowing that Cassandra would be in the center of the press, as always. He shouldered his way through the crowd, to the angry looks of the other boys. He stopped when he reached the center though. Cassandra looked radiant. Her pale blond hair shone in the moonlight, and her blue eyes sparkled when she noticed Morgan approach. Morgan himself was never a great looking guy. Standing only five feet four, with coarse black hair and dull brown eyes, he knew exactly where he stood. He was average. But when Cassandra looked at him, he knew that she loved that about him. Before he could walk up to her, she stood up, and ran into his arms. She smiled at him and said, "Well it took you long enough to get here Morgan Mechin. I thought for a moment that you weren't going to come ask me for a dance."

"Why Cassie," he said with a smile, using her nick name, "why would you ever think that? You're the only girl I want to dance with." He then took her hand in his, and walked out of the crowd, the other boys staring daggers at his back.

Before Cassie and Morgan reached the dance floor however, a ruckus began at the village gates. Phillip, being the town elder, immediately went to see what was going on. Several moments passed, the party all but forgotten as the people waited for Phillip to return. Silence was thick in the air as Phillip returned, with a man following him. The man was plain enough, wearing only a dark brown robe, and carrying nothing more then a pack. Everyone knew though, when they saw the symbol on his robe who he was. The symbol was a five pointed star, each section of the star colored differently. It was the monk. He had come.

The monk simply walked forward and without preamble addressed the crowd. "My name is Dulnar and I am from the Order of the Five Disciplines. I have come to perform the Choosing." He stood there, as if waiting for the people to line up as was usual. After a few minutes of silence, Morgan spoke up. "Sir, I hate to say this, but this is my birthday party. Could we perhaps have the Choosing tomorrow? You are welcome to join in the celebration."

Dulnar looked right at Morgan, and in those eyes, he saw something. He saw the gift.

"How old are you boy?", Dulnar asked.

"Today I am fifteen, so yes I will stand with the others of my age. My name is Morgan."

"Well Morgan, since today is a special day for you, I will agree. Let the merriment continue." Dulnar threw back his hood and smiled. He had brown hair, green eyes and an unassuming face. He didn't seem so bad. "I must confess though, that I don't have proper lodging. I don't suppose any of you could help a poor monk out?" He grinned. Morgan spoke up again. "You are welcome to stay in my room with me. I am sure my parents wouldn't mind." Both Phillip and Martha agreed, and the party continued.

Morgan first led Dulnar to a table so he could sit. The monk had confessed to being footsore from the long journey, and wanted to have some hot food, a cold drink, and a nice comfy sit. So Morgan obliged. Morgan then turned around and walked back over to Cassie, and took her hand again. He smiled at her, knowing that his heart was happy and carefree for the moment. They walked together into the center of the square. The band had changed and was now playing a slow song, one that people could slow dance to, which as we all know is terribly romantic. Morgan slowly took Cassandra into the middle of the dance floor, and the two of them began to dance, all other thoughts forgotten as they stared deeply into each others eyes. They danced together for what seemed like forever, but eventually the song stopped and everyone began to cheer. It was at this moment that the two of them noticed that they were the only ones on the dance floor. They blushed furiously and ran to a nearby table, by chance the same one occupied by Dulnar. Dulnar smiled at the both of them, and congratulated Morgan on his birthday, and his becoming a man.

"Let me ask you something Morgan." Dulnar said suddenly. "If tomorrow you are Chosen, what will you do?"

"Well I know the law, so if you choose me I must go, but I will not like leaving all that I know behind."

"You can't be chosen Morgan. We are to be together." Cassandra nuzzled up to Morgan affectionately.

"What will you do Cassie if I am chosen?"

"I will wait for you Morgan. My heart loves you, only you."

Morgan smiled and kissed Cassandra gently. "I love you as well Cassie. Chosen or not, I will always love you."

Dulnar smiled and leaned back. The smile vanished though, when he thought about what he was going to have to do tomorrow.

"Okay everyone! It's now time to cut the cake! Will Morgan please come up here?" Martha called to her boy. Morgan stepped up on the platform that had been constructed, the same one where the cake sat. "Now Morgan, you know that according to tradition, once you cut this cake, you will be considered a man. Do you accept all that manhood entails?"

"Yes mother. I will be honorable, and fair to my fellow man. I will not lie, nor cheat, even if it is to have vengeance." Morgan spoke the words as had the others before him had done.

"Then Morgan, my son," Martha said, her voice thick with emotion, "cut the cake and become a man." The crowd was deathly silent, awaiting Morgan's move. A knife lay on a table near him, and Morgan reached down and picked it up. He then approached the cake, and slowly cut down into it. He then repeated the cut on the other side, creating a wedge. He removed the slice and handed it to his father, as tradition dictated. The crowd erupted, for now Morgan was no longer a child, but a man of the Payta, and the Kingdom of Rendora. Dulnar stood and cheered with the rest. The rest of the cake was then cut, a piece being given to each person.

The night wore on, and the merriment continued. As midnight approached, Morgan asked everyone if they would mind him going home, and to bed, as he had been working all day on the farm and wanted to get some rest. The people acquiesced and Morgan led Dulnar to his farm, which was about a ten minute walk away. They walked in silence, till Dulnar spoke again, suddenly. "Morgan, I am happy for you. I think of myself as a honorable person, and wanted to offer my hand in friendship to you." Dulnar held his hand out. Morgan looked at it for a moment, then reached out and accepted it. They both smiled and shook hands. Then Dulnar spoke again. "Remember Morgan, tomorrow I am going to do my duty. Keep that in mind please, as I don't want you to be angry with me for what I must do." Morgan glanced over at Dulnar as they walked, knowing better then to ask what he meant. Dulnar would tell him, he was sure, in due time.

They reached the Mechin farm shortly thereafter, and Morgan showed Dulnar where he could rest. Dulnar thanked Morgan profusely, saying that he had traveled for two weeks to reach Payta. Morgan asked simply if this was the first stop for Dulnar. Dulnar shook his head and explained. "Each town has its own monk. I was chosen to come here to handle the choosing, and once I am finished I will return to the monastery. Would you like to know a little more about the Order?" Morgan nodded. He knew that he was about to be told something special. "Well, the reason it is called the Order of the Five Disciplines is the same reason as for why the symbol is different colors. There are Five Paths, or Disciplines. The first four are associated with an element, like fire earth air and water. The last path is the Path of the Mind. I myself for example belong to the Order of the Earth. Each order has different techniques, and the ruling body of the Order, called the Council of Masters, is made up of the High Master of each Path."

"How long does training usually take Dulnar?"

"Well it depends on the individual. For some, the training takes five or ten years, others complete it in two. It depends on how fast a person can learn, and how adept they are." Dulnar yawned loudly, and spoke again. "Now, that's all for tonight Morgan. I have just told you things that people outside the Order shouldn't know. Lets go to sleep." Dulnar placed his head upon his pillow, and promptly fell asleep. Morgan on the other hand couldn't seem to fall asleep. He tossed and turned, his head filled with visions of a strange temple, and people in robes hurrying around. Finally though, the exhaustion from the days events caught him and he found sleep.

Morgan awoke with a start. How long had he been sleeping, he wondered. He looked around and realized that Dulnar was not in the room. He hoped out of bed and quickly got dressed, then rushed to the main living room. He found his parents sitting around a table with Dulnar, enjoying some eggs and bacon. Dulnar turned around and smiled. "Good morning Morgan. How did sleep find you last night?"

Morgan grimaced. "Sleep did not find me well. I kept having nightmares."

"Well son, you better get ready. Dulnar says that the Choosing will take place in the afternoon, and since you have been sleeping so long, you have only a few hours." Martha smiled at her son, and nudged Phillip as if to have him say something. Morgan took a look at his father, and noticed that his face seemed a shade paler, as if he had heard something he didn't like. His mother cleared her throat, and Phillip jumped a little. "Uh yes son, make sure to get ready. If you will excuse me Sir Dulnar, I have a farm to run." And with that, Phillip got up and almost ran outside. Morgan glanced over at Dulnar, and for an instant it seemed as if the monk was pained by something. Then the look vanished and Dulnar was smiling again. "Well young Morgan, you better get cracking as it were." Dulnar smiled and stood up. "Thank you Miss Mechin for the breakfast. It was divine. Now, if you all will excuse me, I must go meditate before the Choosing." Morgan and his mother nodded and as Dulnar left the room he turned around. "Oh and Morgan?"

"Yes Dulnar?"

Dulnar smiled and said "Would you mind walking with me into town? I would like company." Morgan agreed to do so, and Dulnar left the room to begin his meditation, knowing full well what was going to occur that afternoon, and hating every minute of it.

Morgan on the other hand headed outside to help his dad, Phillip, around the farm. He found his father out in the fields, tending to their crop of carrots and cabbages. Morgan greeted his father, and noticed yet again that Phillips face appeared drawn, and pale. Phillip nodded in the direction of his son and continued his work. "Dad, I am going to go let the gophers free. Let me know if you need anything." Phillip just nodded, not looking up from what he was doing. Morgan left his father alone with his thoughts and walked to the shed. He began to think about the way his father was acting, like he knew something was going to happen. Morgan just shrugged it off. Nothing was going to happen today. He would stand, not be chosen, and then marry Cassandra, just like he should. Morgan began to smile, and skipped a little as he reached the shed. He bent forward and picked up the box with the gophers in it, and headed to the edge of his families land, which bordered the forest. It took him a couple of minutes to reach the edge of the forest, and he was surprised to find Dulnar sitting outside of it, and as far as Morgan could tell, sleeping sitting up. Morgan cautiously walked past Dulnar, and went a couple of feet into the forest. He then took each gopher from the box and gently set them down. He stood a few moments, watching the little creatures scurry off into the forest. Standing there, alone with his thoughts, he had an epiphany. The way his mother and father were acting this morning, the way Dulnar looked at him, it all pointed to one thing, and it was with a heavy mind that he left the forest, walking slowly back home, having come to a conclusion. He somehow knew with all certainty, he was going to be Chosen. And he didn't like it one bit.

It was a beautiful day, but that did not remove the pall that hung over the assembled people. Dulnar stood away from them, waiting for them to line up, so that he could begin the Choosing. He already knew that none, save one, had the gift. He wished with all his heart though, that someone else other then that one had it. He hated knowing what he must do. Finally Morgan and Cassandra stood in place, at the end of the line, they having been that last two that year to have reached fifteen years of age. Morgan shuffled his feet a bit, being very nervous. He knew something was up, but he wasn't quite sure as to what it could be. He couldn't help thinking about his fate, if he would be chosen. What will I do, if I am chosen? What is there for me to do? I can't fight it...He then snapped back into reality when he felt the boy next to him nudge him. The Choosing had begun.

Dulnar moved down the line, taking his time. He examined each child as he reached them, and with a wave of his hand dismissed them. As there were twenty children in the village of age, he took his time. He spent several extra minutes with one boy, who began to sweat and shake slightly from the scrutiny, but then Dulnar dismissed him as well. He continued his way down the line, and finally reached Cassandra. He examined her, noting her features, and came to the conclusion that she was an exceptional beauty, but was ungifted. He nodded to her, and she squeezed Morgan's shoulder gently, whispering to him to be strong. Then, Dulnar faced Morgan.

Dulnar looked into Morgan's eyes, and in those eyes once again saw the spark of the gift, that infinitesimal spark that would soon grow, and with the proper training, become a true force of power. Dulnar tore his gaze away from Morgan's eyes, and continued the inspection of Morgan, mostly for appearances sake. Then he spoke, his words carrying well across the field. "Morgan, you have been found to have the gift. You will follow me from here, and renounce all ties to family. You are now part of the Order. You have till dawn tomorrow to say your goodbyes, and pack. You are permitted to bring one thing of value, the rest can only be clothing and food." Dulnar then turned and walked back to the home of Morgan and his parents, to begin packing, his heart saddened by what he had just done. In one instant he had crushed Morgan's hopes and dreams, and forced him to take a new path. Morgan, on the other hand, stood there. He had known, of course, that this was going to happen, but it didn't relieve the shock. His parents came to stand next to him, and tried to comfort him, but he was in a sort of dull haze. In one moment, his past life had been shattered, irrevocably, and now he was destined for something else. He just couldn't shake it. He couldn't accept it, his mind seemed to be fighting it, and then, finally, reality settled in. He simply turned towards the crowd, and walked straight to Cassie. She had tears on her face, and rushed to him, holding him tightly.

"No no no no no It can't be true Morgan. Tell me this isn't happening! I love you!" She sobbed on his shoulder.

"I am sorry, Cassie. I have to go with him. I swear to you, by the gods, I will return to you. This I swear!" He embraced her, and held her tight. She whispered in his ear, softly. "I shall wait for you too, my love." It was with a heavy heart that he finally disentangled himself from her, and walked away, leaving the townsfolk behind.

Morgan found Dulnar waiting for him, at the edge of town, beyond view of the people. Dulnar fell in beside Morgan, and neither spoke. Finally, as they reached the gate to his home, Morgan spoke. "Dulnar, why did the gods do this to me? I just wanted a simple life." Morgan seemed on the verge of tears, his voice thick with emotion and on the point of breaking. "I am sorry I had to do this to you Morgan, but it was necessary. If I didn't bring you with me, not only would I be defying the law, I would be endangering your life." Morgan appeared stunned at this, and looked Dulnar in the eye. "What do you mean."

"The gift, when not properly trained, can and usually does kill a man. If you don't learn to control it at the monastery, you will die by the time you are twenty five." Morgan was stunned. This was the reason for the decree. Not just to satisfy some dark evil, but to keep people from dying. Morgan had a newfound respect for Dulnar at this moment. "Thank you Dulnar for being honest.", and with that statement, Morgan went inside to pack for the journey.

Dulnar followed, mainly because his gear was in the same room as Morgan's, and when he reached the room he found Morgan in a state of slight distress. "I don't know what personal item to take!" Morgan was rummaging in what appeared to be a large trunk, searching through it as if looking for something specific. "Umm Morgan, what are you looking for?"

"This!" Morgan said happily, holding it aloof so Dulnar could see.

It was a ring. A simple ring, silver by the look of it, with a strange clear crystal in its center. Morgan put it on, and the crystal flashed suddenly. "What is that?", Dulnar asked.

"This ring was a gift from Cassie a few years ago. It senses danger, and the crystal glows when it approaches me. It also warms up at the same time." Morgan then continued packing, having seemingly accepted his fate. Dulnar began to pack as well, not quite as fast as Morgan was, but fast enough so as to be ready. It was night by the time the two had finished their packing, and it was then, as they were readying for bed, that Morgan asked a very simple, yet complex, question.

"Dulnar, tell me about the five orders please?"

Dulnar stopped moving for a moment, then sat down. "Well Morgan, I know a bit about each one, basic knowledge, but the only one I really know is the Order of Earth, because I am a member of it." Dulnar took a deep breath, and then continued. "The Order of Fire is considered the most basic order. The members of it tend towards speed and aggression, and are very warlike. Water, on the other hand, are contemplative and defensive, yet still dangerous. The Order of Air tends to be flighty, and the members seem to love practical jokes. They annoy me to no end." He laughed at this point, and Morgan joined in. "The Order of the Mind is the most mysterious of them all, as they are the deep thinkers and philosophers of our kind, and finally, The Order of the Earth tend to be honest, caring, and stoic, not to mention stubborn. Course," he mused, "my opinion could be considered biased." He winked, and another round of laughter ensued.

"What sort of things am I going to learn there Dulnar? The art of combat?"

"No Morgan," Dulnar said quietly, "you will learn things like writing, reading, art, philosophy, tactics, combat of course, and the secrets of your particular order, which you must never teach another person." Dulnar stifled a yawn, and noticed that Morgan's eyelids were drooping. "Lets get some sleep Morgan, we have about a two week journey ahead of us, and we are gonna need our sleep." With that statement, both of them slipped off to dreamland.

That night, Morgan's dreams were filled with strange shapes and images. One image stood out, the image of a five pointed star. Each section was colored differently, one brown, one red, one blue, one white, and the center was purple. Then he noticed that the star's lines seemed to be pulsating, and were burnished gold. Then the image blurred and Morgan felt an oppressive darkness, and woke with a start. He glanced about the room a bit, feeling as if the darkness around him was weighing him down, pushing him back into his bed. He looked over and saw Dulnar, sleeping soundly and snoring softly. Morgan shrugged, and went back to sleep, his mind troubled.

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"Has the one been found? Has he been located?" A voice, almost a hiss, sounded from deep within the hood of a something, which sat upon a throne of deep black obsidian. The question itself, however, was directed to a man, who by all appearances was unafraid, and unamused. That man stood six feet tall, and was so non nondescript that one could look at him, and not notice him, which happened to be just how he liked it.

"I assume so sir. He would be of age this year, to begin training. My informants tell me that the only boy found this year is from Payta, and his name is Morgan Mechan." The figure on the throne sat back, and thin, almost skeletal hands came from beneath its cloak and formed into a tent in front of its cowl.

"See to it that he does not make it to the Monastery. Once he is there, it will be... difficult... to strike at him. See to it, Jurgur." The man named Jurgur bowed, and walked quickly away, leaving the thing on the throne to ponder.