Chapter Two

The sky of the Underworld was a deep blue, the color of calm water after a storm. There were no stars, yet the illusions glittered like diamonds. It was perhaps that so much of the Underworld was based on mortal dreams, that stars were conjured into existence. Several stone circles stood on top of the plateau, their origin unknown. Each held it's own power at unspeakable measures, for their runes were engraved by the elements. The language was close to TelleKurre and a soft hum could be heard to those who seek their meaning.

Soft soil lay beneath her, warm as if the sun had just shone upon it. The air around her, however, was cool and a bit chilly. The faint scent of the sea was in the breeze that drifted pass. Vibrations tingled down her skin, hauntingly familiar. Then, L'Ran opened her eyes and found herself face to face with a large stone pillar. It was at least seven feet high and three feet wide. The elf backed away a bit, realizing her wounds were all healed.

She nearly backed into Tracy. The shaman was sitting in an Indian style position, her two hands held before her as if she was praying. She looked like a Buddhist. Her eyes were closed and her mouth was set in a straight line, as if she was concentrating at an impossible feat. From the white aura that surrounded Tracy's body, L'Ran knew she was somehow communicating with the stones to tune them right.

The runes on the stone had been glowing a brilliant gold color for some time now. They were different, L'Ran soon realized. They were…they were…

"Sartan runes," Tracy suddenly said, making the elf jump in surprise.

The air guardian lowered her hands and got out of the uncomfortable position. Standing up, stretching, she asked, "How are you feeling?"

"Like nothing has happened," L'Ran admitted. "How do I look?"

"The same as always." The elf maiden had tanned skin with long, sun-spun blond hair that reached to her knees. Usually, it was kept in a braid but L'Ran always took it out before she slept. Her white dress offered an unusual contrast to the darkness of her eyes. L'Ran hugged her knees. "What happened out there, Tracy?"

"I don't really know," Tracy said, shaking her head. "I believe some of the demons that were under Lucifer's control got a hold of Patryn runes and some how learned how to use them. They escaped…and from then on, I can say they began attacking villages."

"Patryn magic? What's that?"

"It comes from a group of seven realms, called the Deathgate realms. Patryns were actually a race of sorcerers who specialized in rune magic. Their only rivals for power were the Sartans."

L'Ran didn't have anything to say to that. Having no pain to take her mind away from reality, it focused on what she had lost instead. Her heart felt heavy with sorrow and depression. "Where do I go from here?"

"I'm going to take you to Lorac…" Tracy caught the expression on the elf's face. Kneeling down to face her friend, she began in her kindest voice, "Look, L'Ranna, I know you feel like you could die at this moment, but don't lose hope. If you escaped, I'm sure at least one other Playze Clan member escaped too. We'll find them and kick the demon's ass, I promise."

L'Ran suddenly laughed, surprising even herself. "I know very well you can kick the demon's ass, Tracy. But it's the others I'm worried about. I saw…I saw my brother…" her laugh ended up as a cry as she felt the tears come again.

"Try not to think about it too much," Tracy whispered. "The pain will come later when the shock wears off. But you have us, your friends."

Wiping a tear away, L'Ran nodded and allowed herself to be helped up.

"Let's go to Lorac's now," the elf said. She suddenly giggled again. "If the times now weren't so depressing, I would gladly laugh myself to death over Lorac's face when he hears about this."

The red dragon's pale yellow pupils glared at the two as Tracy asked him to watch over L'Ran. "What do I look like to you," he asked irritably. "An elven babysitter? Hell no. Come back later."

"Look, you sorry excuse for a lizard," Tracy snarled back, "L'Ran's a little hurt here. Could you just let her STAY in this cave for a while?"

"What did you just call me, you bitch of a sorceress?"

"Excusez-moi? Did you just call me a bitch?

"Oui, tu as une bitch."

"TU?! Oh, so now, what am I, your dog? How DARE YOU call me by ‘tu'!

L'Ran sighed. This happened EVERY single time.

Unlike the Astral Plane and Underworld, the Upperworld had many species of dragons: Gold, Red, Blue, Green, and White. The Black and Silver dragons had all resided into the Plane. Lorac was an aging Red dragon that Tracy had managed to run into while on her first trip to the Overworlds. It was a wonder why he hadn't roasted her at first sight.

"I can very well call you by ‘tu'!" the dragon snarled back.

Tracy wasn't backing away just yet. "Look, you little bastard, just let L'Ran stay for a day or two okay?"

"Why can't you let her stay in the Palace? Hell, make that plural. PalaceS. You've got many, so I've heard."

"She needs to stay in the Overworld because if one of her clan comes looking for her, they can track her down with blood traces."

Lorac narrowed his eyes. "Blood traces? Oh nonono. The demons are bound to have blood of the elves. I am NOT going to tolerate demons in my backyard."

L'Ran decided to stop this argument before the air guardian or the dragon blew something or each other up. "They're not going to bother looking for me."

That got both of their attentions.

"Keep talking," Lorac said, resting his head and long neck on the stone ground.

"I have no importance in my clan. If they wanted something, they would have gone for the royal ones or the ones who have more power."

"I see your point," Lorac sighed. "But are you the only one who knows a realm warrior?"

The elf bowed her head as a reply.

"See?" Lorac hissed accusingly.

Tracy deathglared. "Listen to yourself, Lorac! You're a goddamn fucking DRAGON!! What's a demon gonna do?"

"A demon? As in one? As you put it, a whole swarm of them attacked the Phayze clan. I may be strong but I'm not a fighting machine no more." Lorac blew a small smoke cloud in mock sorrow. "I'm old…probably gonna die soon…"

Tracy's eyebrow twitched. "Lazy ass."

"Who are you to be calling me a lazy ass?"

Before the air guardian could snap another smart reply back, L'Ran cut in. "Look, Lorac, if the demons come, I'll flee. They're only after me."

Turning a weary, yellow eye at the young elf, Lorac seemed to consider that. Five seconds later, he seemed to make up his mind on something.

"Do I get paid?"

"LORAC!" Tracy shouted angrily.

"Fine, fine, she can stay," the dragon grumbled. A yawn escaped his mouth as he lifted his head back up. "Just keep out of my way," he added as the dragon watched Tracy leave the cave. Lorac then laid back and closed his eyes.

Delicate fingers swept up blond hair as L'Ran brushed it out of her face and wiped off sweat that had gathered on her forehead. The cave had several fires and was rumored to be a dormant volcano. The elf seated herself on the rock and stared at the dragon.

"What are you looking at?" The eye opened again.

L'Ran shrugged. "Sorry…it's just that…"

"What? Never seen a dragon this old?"

An amazed expression crossed her face. "Lorac, we're old friends. I've seen you hundreds of times."

Silence answered that. "Crap, I'm going senile."