A/N: Already my descriptions are beginning to taper out. A lot of my writing I let music "inspire me", but this is one of the few stories I seldom listen to music when weaving together ideas. Perhaps music doesn't inspire me, but simply distracts me. Just an observation.

At any rate, production of this story is going to slow down rather dynamically soon. The reason for this is I'll be conferring with a second party, and so there will be two schedules to work around, and careful selection of which ideas to keep and which to pitch. I'll be the dominant writer so to try and keep the style a little more consister. Of course, 'try' is the operative word. I may fail.

Chapter 6

“Master Moonglow!” exclaimed a man in chocolate brown robes. He had his deep red wings folded neatly behind him, and his hair slicked back. He bowed to Juraq quickly, and then looked up at him with his pale, panicked eyes.

“What is it, Dewym?” Juraq asked, looking up from his financial records. Dewym offered another quick bow before speaking again. His face was pale, and it took all of the willpower in his entire being to speak without stuttering.

“Master, I’m afraid to report that the Magury Agaruna has been s-stolen!” the words came out with an initial powerful blow, only to shutter under their own weight. Dewym wrung his wrists uneasily as he watched his astounded master.

“What?” Juraq demanded. He leaned back in his chair and rolled back his head. After taking in a few deep breaths, he looked sternly at the man who stood quivering before him. “Are you absolutely sure?”

Dewym gave a rapid series of short, quick nods. “Yes, master! I escorted one of the maids so that she may dust the shrine, and it was gone. It was removed from the altar. I looked everywhere in the room, but it was not there!”

Juraq slowly tapped his long, pointed fingernail on the table, staring at Dewym. Dewym was unable to tell what Juraq was thinking, but found his calmness unnerving. After a moment of silence, Juraq slowly stood up. “Fetch me my youngest daughter, Shedyn. I need to speak with her.”

Without hesitation or questioning, Dewym fled Juraq’s personal office and headed to Shedyn’s quarters. Juraq sat patiently in his chair, slowly putting away his financial records. Once they were all set aside in their proper places, Juraq began to pace apprehensively. His bold countenance was both grim and furious. The corners of his lips slipped down his broad chin, a feature uncommon amongst the generally slender faced Draqhyraqy. His blue eyes darted side to side like two blue flies trapped inside a pair of glass marbles. Just what was taking Dewym so long?

Finally the door slowly opened. Juraq turned and faced the door, straightening his back. He lifted his chin, waiting to see his daughter so that he may question her. Instead, Dewym shakily entered, alone.

“Where is my daughter?” Juraq demanded. Dewym’s eyebrows furrowed together, and his face grew more and more lines.

“I could not find her, Master… and her room was in chaos. I fear she may have been kidnapped… or ran away,” Dewym said, taking in large gulp. He shrank when Juraq’s blue eyes flared, and his large fist swung out, striking a nearby shelf hard. Books and papers went flying from the impact. Dewym slowly backed away from the tension, as paper, like ash, fluttered and swirled around Juraq’s tall form.

“Treacherous…”

--

Rapid breathing and vehement hearts pounding were all the noise that could be heard in the dark, granite sky. Like tiny sparkling minerals, stars twinkled high above, dominated by the hollow aura that the two moons reflected. A dark void shot across the sky, blocking the stars momentarily in its travel. Long, flapping, flickering, flailing reaches of shadow trailed ominously behind in the night wind.

“What have I done…?” whispered words wafted through the night air, only to be seized by the wind and dragged into the past, as the present continued to move forward at rapid speed.

Shedyn extended a long gloved hand and pulled the hood of a large black cloak lower. Her eyes scanned for a place to land. She knew she could not stay in the air long, otherwise someone would soon find her. Spotting a cluster of trees, Shedyn took a sudden dive and headed for them. She landed hard on her feet, tumbling down to her hands and knees. She coughed, trying to catch her breath, and make up for the ones stolen by the thieving night wind.

Shedyn’s hand flew to a dark pouch at her side. Hurriedly she loosened the drawstring and poured the contents of it out. Small, glittering jewelry fell into her empty palm. Then, reverently, she put her hand in and pulled out a silver, eight point star. Four of the points, forming a cross, were superior, with long, slender scintillating peaks. Then four more, forming an x, were smaller and more stout, yet still as elegant. In the center were two black crescents. No one knew what they were made of. They were not an angry enough black to be obsidian, and too crystalline to be any other stone known to them. It sometimes glistened blue in the right lighting, but here in the dark, it invited all the shadows within. Shedyn held it close to her bosom.

“Goddess Runeshya, please forgive me…”

How long had it been? Were they searching for her? Or just the relic? Did they know she took it? Did they hate her now? Could she ever return home? If not, then where could she go? She was certain when she returned it to them safely, they would forgive her. But would they trust her? Would her own family ever accept her now? All of these questions dominated her mind as she lay beneath the cover of a veil tree.

Subtle and cool, a tingling sensation began to hum in the cavity of her chest. Slowly, the sensation throbbed its way outward from her center, reaching her extremities. Shedyn curled up and shivered. Tiny, icy tendrils began to sweep and tickle all of her nerves, weaving among her veins, and threaded their way through her very being. Shedyn’s breaths began to get more and more shallow. She put her hand to her chest, and felt the form of the relic beneath her shirt. As soon as she touched it, her hand grew cold, and yet, it did not come with the sting of ice, but rather a feeling of serenity. She almost believed she was feeling the scent of a cold, winter night.

Shedyn took it out of the folds of her loose top and examined it. It shimmered in response to the caress of fingers and feelers of moonlight that found their way through the cascading branches. The center steadily shone blue in waves, lighting and dimming. Shedyn raked her teeth against her lips. No one had ever managed to activate this relic before. What had she done? What was going to happen? She slowly turned it over, and ran her hand timidly along the back. On the back, there was a triangular indentation. She flipped it over again and looked at the hypnotic grow and decline of azure glimmer.

“Why do you just sit dumbly and stare, when there’s a greater spectacle over there!” a nasally, elastic voice spoke from the trees. Shedyn shot up her head and quickly pulled the relic to her breast to hide it. She looked around, drawing her cloak about herself, but could see no one.

“Who are you? Show yourself!” Shedyn demanded. She looked around continuously, but saw no one. Suddenly, a flash of light illuminated the trees. Shedyn threw her hand up to shield her eyes. All she could hear was the rapid rustling of the leaves, and felt the whip-like branches beat against her.

“I’m sorry that our meeting was brief, but I’m far to busy to speak to a thief,” the voice uttered in a sing-song tone. Shedyn grit her teeth. Whoever this rhyming person was, they knew what she had done. Before Shedyn could utter another word, the voice cut her off with another whimsical sentence. “Your parting from this world is nigh, so to you, fair maiden, I say goodbye!”

Shedyn tried to yell at the stranger to wait, but her voice was ripped from her mouth by a strong, gravitating force. The ground beneath her began to shift, and the branches continued to beat against her thick, dark cloak. Shedyn shielded herself and tried to bury her feet firmly in the ground, but she could feel the tug get stronger and stronger. Beams of light shot out, performing a dizzying dance all around her form. She dropped her bag with the clothing she packed, which got caught and torn by the writhing tree. Shedyn gasped, beginning to flap her wings against the force, but to no avail. Shedyn again tried to scream, but her voice was lost. With one final pull, Shedyn was no more. All that was left was the contents of her luggage strewn about the branches, waving gently in the calm night breeze.

Veil Tree: A short, stout tree, seldom reaching more than 2.5-3 meters in height. It resembles a willow tree with its long, flexible branches that trail down, creating a thick 'curtain' around its stump, but requires less water. During the spring it blossoms with pale blue or lavender blossoms, but produces no fruit.