My two friends and I are co-writing this through e-mail fairly regularly. I expect it to get quite long. Please R&R or e-mail me at scarlet_. I will share comments with the other two authors.

Oriana sat quietly on her white, fluffy cloud as young fairies fluttered to and fro without a care in the world. Unfortunately, Oriana could not be one of those fairies. She was almost never happy, not even now, and she never felt secure in groups. But even through all her woes, she felt an urge inside. An urge of destiny. She felt she was going to do something big, and make herself known, she just didn't know anything more than that. This was what she was pondering at this moment. Among the clouds. Among the merriment, and spirit, she sat alone. It was about this time that another certain female sat on a granite stone miles away, pondering something quite similar.

She sat with her blonde hair, with red bangs, blowing in the wind. She looked out into the expanse of land around her, and let all her complications ease with a powerful, yet subtle, sigh. She didn't enjoy being seventeen at all. It was getting very monotinous for her to stay her age every minute of her life. Seventeen now, seventeen forever. Being the elemental of fire that she was had a prominent downside. Partial immortality. Though she did enjoy the youth, and the beauty it did bestow on her, she found it quite boring. She hopped off the rock and with a long breath, slowly laid down on the ground, putting her head on the stone. After taking her ruby-studded staff from her sling, she took a glance upward into the sky with her flaming red eyes, and decided to just let the day go by.

Oriana was enjoying the breeze through her indigo hair with silver streaks as she opened her pale blue eyes. She wanted to be young and free again, but with her age of 25, time was passing her by. She just hoped something would happen soon.

Nocturna awoke slowly, fragments of the dream she had
just had lingering in her mind. She had dreamt of a world quite unlike her own; a world of light and happiness, the very opposite of her own bleak landscape. And a girl, more like a woman, with long dark hair... She shook her head and the visions disappeared. It had been so long since she had had such a vivid dream. Something was going to happen; she could feel it in the air.

It was growing dark, the sun setting beyond the horizon. Pushing back strands of dark indigo hair, Oriana gazed upwards into the heavens at the tiny stars that dotted the sky. Sleep would not come easily, and she lay awake for some time, the full moon bright overhead.

In this very restless night of confusing dreams and troubled sleep, only one in the land felt assured that the future was secure. Satsuma, the only heir to the throne her father abandoned, sat quietly alone in her lush palace chambers. She lay in wait for the messenger who had been promised to her. She was told he would bring her news. Good news. The secret emissary refused to say what it was, but had told her one thing: The long power struggle for the throne was over. She had spent the night plotting her triumphant takeover. No longer would there be dissent in her kingship, no longer would anyone question her authority. She had waited for a time when she would stand on that balcony and receive the homage paid to her by all of the citizens, her citizens, especially Nocturna. The same radical who had once tried to seize her throne and denounced her as tyrannical would kneel before her, begging for her to forgive. Satsuma lay in wait for the messenger to join her. They were the only two who knew that the time she had waited so long for was here.

Meanwhile, Oriana, struggling with sleep was experiencing a nightmare of devious proportions. She was scared of many things in her life, and suddenly, in a night of misfortune, those phobias where back. Death, enemies, the times she had left. She scrunched her eyes tightely in fear, wishing that she would not have ot experience this for much longer. Then suddenly, in her mind a light shone out. A voice, calming, comforting and powerful. She felt herself ease throughout her body at the voice's first word. "Oriana. Are you ready?" She reached out with a strength she felt welding up inside her, she started to walk. A dark hallway formed around her, with the light at the end, seemingly endless as it looked. She broke into a deep sprint , lurching after this godly voice. "Oriana, you must go! Leave your airie, and go far away. You're looking for that special feeling and motivation to leave. So go! You shall be led in the direction of your fate very soon." And then the world collapsed around her. She kneelled down, hugging her legs as she saw the reality fall away. And in a second of epiphinatic experince, she awoke.

Nocturna was having a trouble sleeping as well. Never had the evening been a hindrance to her, but today was marking itself as difficult. "Something's not right." She mumbled to herself as she queerly looked around the field she was lying in. "No, something is really wrong here..." She continued, pulling her stave to her waist in preperation. Suddenly, a rustle in the hedges to the right of her vision, enhanced her senses about that area. "Come out, now! I don't want to hurt you! But I will defend myself!" She nervously shouted towards the bush. Two figures lurched out of the confines of the greenery. Both mist-like in figure, slowly taking shape with every step. Suddenly they stepped into the moonlight, reveiling themseves as knights, or soldiers as Nocturna thought.
"Miss, what is you name? Identify yourself NOW!" The first solid voice sounded from the right. Nocturn turned to the figure and replied with a grinding of her teeth and an angry comment.
"What do you want with it? And what are two, shiny new-recruits doing out here? I don't think I need to convey how dangerous it is out here, in cluding the ever present danger of myself." She said with a newfound adrenaline grip around her stave. The second soldier stepped forward to signal that he would answer.
"Miss, we are not new recruits for your information, and we have been sent to capture a young woman, fitting your description and aggression. We will use force if neccessary." After a brief yet uncomfortable pause, Nocturna replied with two words.
"It's neccessary."
"It's a shame to have to use force on someone like you," one of the soldiers said regretfully, "But we have our orders..." The other shrugged.
"Cooperate and it's unnecessary," he said.
"Never," Nocturna hissed through her teeth. "You'll have to make me." The two soldiers unsheathed their swords, the blades glinting in the moonlight.
"Suit yourself," the first one said. He lunged suddenly, his sword aimed at Nocturna's chest. She nimbly dodged his attack and that of his partner's, much to their dismay. "Quick on your feet, are you?"
"You don't know the half of it," she replied, grinning
coldly, holding her staff behind her back. "I have something to show you," she laughed, bringing her staff forward. The soldier had the briefest glimpse of a brilliant globe of fire before he was consumed in fiery agony.
Nocturna awoke the next day in unfamiliar surroundings, her head throbbing. The room she was in was pitch black, so she needed to rely on her keen senses to gain her bearings. She knew she was lying on a cold, stone floor in a room that smelled very musty. The atmoshere was so humid that it almost choked her. For a moment, she panicked in the encompassing darkness, but soon regained her composure. She was never one to lose her cool. She reached for her fiery staff to serve as a torch, but, finding it missing, resorted to feeling her way around the room. She soon reached a rough stone wall, and became instantly certain of where she was.
She knew this place well. She'd spent too much time in here in her long life. It was the dungeon of the king's.... well actually, now the princess' castle. She felt instantly reassured. She knew this place like the palm of her hand. She now remembered everything. It was last night.... or perhaps several nights ago. She had no idea how long she had been out. In this windowless room, she wasn't even sure if it was morning or night. It made her uneasy, but nonetheless, it was a night some time ago. She had just set one of the guards on fire in an attempt to save herself, when she felt something rock hard and heavy hit her in the back of her head.
"It must have been the other soldier," she realized "Why didn't I watch him?"
She felt calm, now that she understood what had happened and where she was. She had freed herself from here before. She might not even have to escape.
"It isn't like Satsuma has any true authority" She thought smugly.
Then she reached a horrible realization. She touched her chest where she usually kept her staff, then gasped. It was not so much that it was missing. She saw that before and was undaunted. But now, she saw that Satsuma held the power. It was unthinkable that someone so demonic.... she shuddered. In desperation, Nocturna cried out. She sat on the floor, now nearly reduced to tears. If Satsuma found how to use the staff, what then ? She sat with her
head in her hands when she heard a noise. A shuffling, some movement. She soon came to her second terrifying realization. She was not alone in this room.
Looking timidly over her shoulder, Nocturna turned to face the monotonal, cold and heartless voice whom had so recently spoken to her. Such a powerful voice had not doubted a powerful figure, for what she saw step into the light could never have been prepared for. A giant of a man, standing tall of seven foot and looking the weight of fourteen stone. He had a blue aura about him, as if the God, Nimitz, himself had blessed him. He stood in the light with his face towards the floor, as if he feared the light and showed none of his head but his sea-green hair. He then lifted his hair to reveal a face of age. His chin unshaven and his hair vastly untamed, he blinked to reveal shimmering yellow eyes, of gold they seemed to her. He did not sem old to her, but she could not tell how long he'd spent in the cell, which she now stood in.
"You seem apathetic, man. What manner of man are you......?" She asked as she hinted for a name for which to call the cell mate.
"Dracoris, and I am.........was a Dragoon from the most esteemed army of all the land, till a young princess hath come and desstroyed everything."
"Satsuma?" Nocturna inquired.
"You know of the witch?"
"Yes, in fact I may be in here for the very same reason you are. Please, take some time and explain yourself." She said in a quick-paced, and breathless voice.
"Why do you ask and why so fast?" He asked as he slumped into his corner once again, "Time is NOT of the essence, and nothing is important now." She took a breath before sitting tenderly next to the man.
"What is the matter with you?"she inquired.
"I have nothing to live for. Everything's gone , and Satsuma has done the one thing, if I am ever to get out of here, that I will slay her for. She hath slain my love and my blood. My wife and my only daughter are gone, and I am here......nothing is important now." There was a silence that engulfed all else in teh world. The air stood still and time never wavered for a second of it. "What manner of woman are you?"
"I am an elemental, the fire's disciple if you will."
With a glare of interest in his eyes, Dracoris indulged her, "So a fire elemental, canst thou get me out of here with your flaring abilities then?"
"I am afraid I cannot. I can only manipulate that of my element not create it. That I can only do with my stave, which seems to have been stolen from me. If I had a flame.....a mere spark of flame." She said as she turned to the hallway through the bars of her cell. A single candle glimmered in the darkness. "Tell me, Dracoris, do you know this castle well?"
"I know more of it than my own birthplace." She stood up again, quite rigidly and walked over to the edge of her domain.
"Come over here." She said, watching Dracoris walk over to her. It was if her message had been transmitted telepatheically, a skill which no person of young nor old possesed to any record to date. She lifted her right hand to her chest and signaled her companion to stand back. She opened her palm to the ceiling and with a tight curl of her fingertips, pulled the flame of the wax candle towards them. Heaving with intensity, as it grew in size, it shot towards the bars, and in an instant stopped, engulfing the metal. It was three quarters of an hour before the section of metal sufficient enough to move through had been melted away. Time ceased for a few seconds as the companions stared at each other, Nocturna closed her fist and disposed of the flame. Intuition and cunning would now have to get them out.........