Raiko the Elf
by Robin Mayo

Chapter 1: Crystal Tears

Disclaimer: I own all of the characters, the plot, songs, poems, everything in this story. If you would like to use anything, please ask me before hand. Okay?

Author’s notes: Hello, everyone! This is my first original story. I’ve had it in my head for quite sometime. I hope you readers enjoy this story. Sit back and relax. I assure you it will be very good! Please enjoy! smiles from ear to ear Oh! I just want to thank all the people who helped me get this started (you better review, too! has a baseball bat in her hand and is shaking it threateningly)! Thank you so much Chris Miller, Holly Mayo Carter (my sis (as payment please check out her fics, too! They are Morning After and Twisted Rivers. Her author name is umi.)), Don Freeman, Stella, Tessamyn Robbins-Tjaden (for reading it first), Teddy Datuin (I think I misspelled you last name and the reason I put you down is because I KNOW you’re going to read and review this first ch.!) and especially Mrs. Long, my English II, Accelerated teacher. Thank you all so much!

The Dragon, The Angel, and The Fairy;
Guided by the light of the one, these three
shall bring the world’s strife to an end.
And hope shall be reborn.
-as prophesied by the goddess Asanuma in the year 1428 C.E.

The blazing fire roared in the village all around her, burning everything in its path. Raiko could feel the fear gnawing at her from all directions. Being only sixteen-years-old, she did not comprehend the whole situation. Sixteen for an elf would be equivalent to six human years.

Before her mind could register anything at all, her father lifted her up into his strong arms, clasping her protectively against his broad chest. He reached for her mother’s hand, and she took it in haste. They began to run, Raiko peeking from her hiding place to catch a glimpse of Nadia, her human friend, sprinting beside them.

“Nadia, we have to get to the horses quickly. Have you already prepared them for us?” her father asked, panting with his exertion.

Raiko watched as Nadia nodded in assent. “Yes, milord.”

“Where’s my dolly, Nadia?”

She studied Nadia’s face, seeing her lips curve upwards into an affectionate smile, but there was no trace of it in her eyes. She answered, “It is with the horses. If you are worried about her, we’ll be there shortly, so you shall see her soon.”

“Really? Do you mean it?” Raiko asked skeptically, her little eyebrows furrowing.

“Yes, little princess. When we get there, you shall have it,” she replied while chuckling, silencing her questions momentarily. Raiko surveyed the scenery around her as they forged onward. Flames consumed homes across the landscape. People were screaming in agony and fright, some searching desperately for others they would not find or would discover dead, crying out their names, secretly knowing that there was no point in doing so. Raiko became acutely afraid for her life and clutched her father’s shirt tightly in her grasp. She turned her head in her mother’s direction, a tiny mouth trembling along with the rest of her body.

“Momma…where are we going?”

The woman averted her eyes from Raiko’s, not willing to answer the simple inquiry for fear that someone might overhear them. She reached for the tiny hand of her daughter and gave it a tight, confident squeeze to settle her. Then she whispered softly in her ear, “We are going far, far away, my love, where no one can hurt us anymore.”
“O-Okay,” Raiko chirped nervously as she put a cheerful smile on her face. She didn’t want her parents to be sad and attempted to reassure them with her silly grins. They didn’t seem to notice, however, as their eyes were filled with fear.
Up ahead, Raiko could just make out a small stable with three horses. They had already been tacked and had all of the supplies loaded on them. Just as they were within range of it, something flew airborne with great velocity.
“Arrghh!!”
Raiko was suddenly gripped tightly against her father. He fell on his knees, shaking violently. When Raiko found her voice, it came out in a small, terrified squeak.
“P-papa?” she stuttered. He released his hold on her and collapsed on bloodied soil. Raiko tried to scream, but no sound escaped her throat. Arrows were protruding from her father’s back. She took his hand and let out a whimper as his breaths came out in short, weak gasps. Raiko heard her mother’s shriek, shrill and piercing, and in the next moment saw her mother cut down by a feline. He withdrew his sword from her abdomen, kicking her limp body on the ground.
“Akami!!” Raiko heard her father shout.
“I’ll leave you to die slowly, you pompous piece of elvin shit!” the feline spat viciously at them, then laughed maliciously as he turned to run more elves through with his blade. He did not notice Raiko cowering behind Nadia. At that moment she was deeply thankful that Nadia was human. Otherwise, she would have been slaughtered along with the rest of her kind.
Raiko rushed over to her dying father. He embraced her to him, almost crushing her.
“Papa!” she sobbed.
She glanced at her mother to see her body lifeless, her face pale and her eyes staring blankly, never to be capable of seeing again. Raiko moaned, “Momma…”
“Na-Nadia, take Raiko and go.”
“But milord--!”
“JUST GO!! LEAVE ME AND SAVE HER!!”
With that, Raiko was whisked up into Nadia’s arms. She continued to cry for her lost parents as Nadia mounted a horse and gave it a swift kick, setting it off into a gallop. She choked on her tears as she silently watched her parents get farther and farther out of sight.
“Momma! Papa!” she wailed one last time, struggling helplessly in Nadia’s grip.
“Quiet, little princess! We must escape unseen!”
Suddenly the horse reared, throwing them off. Raiko shut her eyes tightly, waiting to hit the ground and feel the pain, but it never came. Tentatively, she opened one eye and found that Nadia had managed to keep her from getting hurt. She held onto Raiko as if she were life itself. Raiko turned to see the cause of the disturbance. A feline woman with a short sword was blocking their route.
“Human, why do you protect this little wretch? Have you taken sides with the elves?!”
Raiko watched as Nadia bravely stood up and concluded that she was a very heroic figure.
“How dare you murder this innocent child’s parents! I hope you and your kind burn in the fires of hell!” she raged.
“Then die! Join your elvin friends, bitch!” the feline shrieked, catching Nadia off guard and thrusting her sword into Nadia’s gut, the cold steel piercing her deeply.

Raiko screeched. She clung to Nadia desperately. Tears streamed down her delicate cheeks as she gazed at the blood trickling from Nadia’s mouth.
“Nadia!” Raiko screamed.
The enemy raised her weapon, ready to strike her. Her eyes went wide. The sword sliced through the air as it came down. Raiko closed her eyes and shielded her face with her hands. After a moment’s pause, she opened them and saw Nadia blocking the sword’s path.
“You’re STILL alive?! Have you not had enough?!”
“You c-can’t have her,” Nadia whispered angrily. The enemy failed to attack her again as Nadia’s hidden dagger bit into their flesh. Raiko covered her mouth in astonishment as the feline staggered and fell over, their eyes taking on a haunting, vacant look. Nadia dropped the dagger she had used to save Raiko. She turned to her, giving her a weak smile.
Raiko rushed to Nadia and threw her arms around her neck, weeping against her, her tears soaking Nadia’s garments. She sobbed uncontrollably, “Nadia, please don’t die! Don’t leave me all alone!”
Nadia held her eyes, and, gasping for breath, replied, “You won’t be alone, Raiko. You will never be alone. Your parents and I will be with you, always, wherever you go…”
But no matter how hard she tried, Raiko just could not understand.
“So-so you’ll live? And so will Momma and Papa?”
Raiko’s lips trembled as Nadia smiled sadly at the way her child’s mind worked.
“No. You will not be able to see us, but we will always be with you. We will be spirits.” She coughed, blood spattering Raiko’s dress. “Please,” Nadia whispered her final words, “promise that you will always remember that we loved you. Please remember me…”
“But Nadia! You can’t die!”
“Farewell, my little princess…”
Nadia’s head fell backwards and her body went limp, life no longer visible in her eyes. Raiko shook her violently.
“Nadia! Nadia! Please come back! Don’t leave me all alone!!” she shouted between sobs. Felines began closing in around her, but she didn’t take notice nor did she care. She continued to shake Nadia, destined to bring her back, repeating her name over and over again as if she could still hear her.
“NADIAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!” she cried out in anguish. Her tears fell to the ground beneath her and began to crystallize at her feet. The felines shielded their eyes from the blinding light that came from her. The solidified tears inched slowly up her body and engulfed her, leaving her to be nothing but a frozen, crystalline statue of herself.

...A century later...

Twin sisters stood on the edge of a cliff looking down on a burning village. Sinister smiles crept onto their faces, their garnet eyes shining with malice. One turned to the other with a feral grin, her light brown hair glimmering in the firelight as she was saying smoothly, “Our job is done. We should return to our mistress to receive our next orders.”

The other quickly pivoted in her direction, her dyed black hair swirling around her with the quick movement. Her mouth opened, but her intended words did not come out at first. She finally managed to stutter the words, “Do-do you think we should inform Mistress Tanya?”

“Of what?!” the first snapped, question and astonishment written on her face. She began to eye her sister warily.
“What the-the elves spoke of! Don’t you remember? They were claiming that we were going to get what we rightfully deserved in the end, about some prophets coming to save them! And they said--!”
“That’s bullshit! I’ve never heard something so absurd in my entire life!” the first shouted angrily, cutting the other off sharply. The second flinched as if she were being reprimanded.
“How could you believe such a lie?!” the first continued in her ranting. “Certainly it isn’t true! Nor shall it ever be! Do not worry over such things that will never be. Felines will reign forever, and the elves will suffer for the pain and torment we have put up with for so many years!”
The second looked up anxiously at her sister.
“But…don’t you think we should at least inform her so that if it is true, we will already be prepared for what is to come?”
A dangerous glint flashed in the first speaker’s eyes. She glared menacingly down upon the other, making her feel inferior.
“Fine,” she hissed acidly. “I will inform the mistress so that you may rest assured, my dear sister.”
They both smiled to each other then and clasped hands.