Once upon a time, there was a great land called Cacao. It was filled with many different peoples and places. They were all at peace except for one area. That area has been properly called the Blood Moor. In it there is endless evil that no one dare to encounter. In it demons, or perhaps just souls that have become lost in the terrible area, roam freely. They take pleasure in slaying anything that comes just close enough for them to reach. In the past years nothing has come close, so these things have become more bloodthirsty than ever. The land beyond has long since been forgotten. It is said that the peoples from that land committed sins as if they were eating candy. That's what everyone thinks since the Blood Moor came between it and the peaceful land of Cacao.

Nobody has ever tried to venture past it except a group of very brave souls who came to hate the Dark Queen Andaria so, that if her name was uttered, their heart became filled with overwhelming amounts of courage, and their bodies filled with fierce power that no one could ever explain. These became the warriors that defeated Andaria. They were so virtuous that they became saints, too.

Though they defeated her, she lives on. She is the evil that cannot die. The only ones that can defeat her again have long perished and their descendants lost. There were six of these knights. Their loss has caused the lands in Cacao to become barren or the people too afraid of the Dark Queen to try to become peaceful once more. They want peace and need it, but it seems as though no person on this plane can do anything. These people are lost and need a leader. Their king can do nothing. Where will this end? Perhaps there is hope yet.

Tonight is Princess Kitsune's nineteenth birthday. She is having the largest party in the history of these lands. The party is being held in the town of Kelm. Her father thought that if the party was so large, everyone would be able to forget their troubles for a while, not to mention that Kitsune was going to become the ruler of Cacao in one year. This worried her because she knew that soon she would have to stay in the castle doing queen things and not be able to do anything for herself or to go all over and have adventures. She thought that she would like to be queen, but she began the real training not too long ago. She hates the thought of queens and their queen things now. They disgust her. She is so worried now because her father has been thinking of flight. He is too scared to wait one year to retire. His being king has corrupted his mind so that he doesn't care that the entire burden will be placed upon his daughter. She has thought of just how much he cares and realized how much she does. Kitsune has decided that she will take flight before he does... on the night of her party. It's perfect. Everyone will be watching the entertainment and she will just slip away...

"Kitsune! Kitsune! It's time for you combat train...oomph!"

"Grey, are you so ignorant?!" Kitsune loudly whispered to the knight that was now lying in her arms. "You know that the combat training was just between us!"

"I'm so sorry, Princess! I totally forgot, miss!" Grey responded with a drop of sweat trickling down his face.

"Oh! Just like the last billion times?! I'm beginning to think you like being jumped by me..."

"Well...uh…I mean: I would never do anything so...well...what's so wrong with that?"

"Oh, you are ignorant aren't you? I'm the princess and you're my knight. That's all, but it won't matter soon."

"Why?" Grey asked kind of sitting up, well, as much as the princess would allow.

"Because I'm leaving. I won't come back to this dreadful place, and you won't be able to stop me because I'm the only one that knows when and exactly how I'd do it."

"All right!! No more worryin...oh, well...can I go, too?"

"Y-you want to go?" Grey nodded. "But why would you want to go with me?" inquired Kitsune, her voice becoming more caring and light-hearted.

"To protect you, of course. Remember my oath: To serve and protect you with my life and until it ends by any means? That applies to everything, you know."

"But this is treason. I don't care. I probably wouldn't be charged even if they caught me. You on the other hand, might get charged of kidnapping me and be killed for high treason."

"And that would be protecting you with my life, wouldn't it?"

"Yes..." She said getting up and offering her hand to Grey, "but it's different. You're choosing to commit treason and you know I am too. That would make your oath invalid."

"Princess, this may sound strange, but through all these years I have grown to feel as though I would do anything for you. I couldn't abandon you now," Grey said with a very thoughtful and pondering look on his face.

"Oh..."

Within the Wood

This is the Wood of Kamaii. There are many creatures dwelling within this fruitful forest: Elves, moogles, manticores, a few dwarves, a large number of deer and elk, lots of small woodland creatures, and, finally, a handful of cactaurs. There is a small town in this wood. It is the town of Kamaii. It is mostly housing with a few stores. The inhabitants are mostly elves. All know at least a bit of magic, (some have decided to rely on something else) and they live lives with problems the same as man. Although this is true, they are not as fearful of Andaria as man, for they are hidden deep in the forest far from the Blood Moor. "The oaks, firs, ash, and pines hide them in a box, where dwells the fox, and fear is locked outside." That is a riddle that they use to hide. The riddle is placed all over the forest in their tongue and elves are the only ones that understand it because no one knows that all of the foxes live in one place with the eldest one. They live in a secluded meadow that is on the other side of the elves' village. On the signs there is also a direction riddle, incase you do not know where you are. Today there is a special ceremony for the new elves. It happens when an elf becomes an age where they are old enough to tend to themselves. This is about when a human would be twelve. Because of their skill, they do not need to have someone to rely on in their 'teen' years. They gain full citizenship to Kamaii and many more rights. What's this? An elf running into the fox grove...

"Hhh! Hhh! I'm...so...tired…I've…got…to…get to the...meadow..." She collapsed.

"Missaru, come back! I need your help! Hmmm....She's gone? I'll find you later, Missaru!! And when I do you'll really get it!!"

She's waking up as the dewdrops from the leaves of a large leafy bush and onto her forehead. "Huh? What...Oh my goodness!! Darien! I've got to get to the fox grove!" Missaru puffed as she tried to run to the meadow, but she's still too weak. She lies beneath a large oak tree. " Darien needs my help. I've got to get to the goddess fountain. He needs to know..."

"Missaru! There you are! You've got a ton of washing to do! Get home now!" Missaru's brother commanded as he jumped out from behind a tree.

"No! I'm busy!"

"You dare talk back to me in such a manner?"

"I do. I have every right to, especially because I am two times as old as you and I can do this!" Missaru exclaimed as she cast an entrapment spell around her brother, who does not know the counter. "That's better!"

"M-MISSARU!! Y-YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME!!"

"Oh, and just why not? I just did it to you didn't I?"

"Bu-but you can't just leave me here all alone in the fox grove...They'll kill me!"

"No they won't. They're just foxes after all, right Ran?" Missaru said as she walked off in a very sassy fashion.

"Come on, Missaru! You've had your fun! GET ME DOWN!" Ran shouted as Missaru disappeared into the forest. "Oh, no... I'm all alone...I shouldn't have.... sniffle" Tears fall from Ran's eyes as he sits alone in the darkness with only the distant howl of a fox...

"Now I've really got to hurry. I didn't really want to leave the squirt all alone. Hope he doesn't take it too hard..." Missaru arrives in the fox grove. "OK. Now to call the goddess...How do I do that? Well, I guess I better try to figure it out. HE will be here any second..."

"No, Missaru. I am already here," a familiar voice called from ahead.

"CLYDE! WHY CAN'T YOU JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!?"

"Oh, Missaru. What am I to do with you? I'm only following my Dark Queen's wishes, and her wish is my command."

"Ohh no…. But it can't happen like this…. I'm supposed to save him. I'm supposed to save Darien…" Missaru pondered on the thought and could not find a way out. Her magic may be useless against a dark warrior. "I have to try…I just have to." At that, she began to cast a Dementia Spell, but something happened…there is something in the darkness. "Huh? Who's there?! What do you want?!"

"My dear, you have summoned number two. There is something that you desire, or else you should not have done so."

"IT'S THE GODDESS! Wait a sec………Two? I only summoned one…"

"But you must have. This summon can only be done by an elf. You are an elf, and it looks as though you are troubled."

"I have no knowledge of more than one goddess, but I am in need of some rescuing."

"Of course, my dear. It shall be done." The goddess then sent Clyde to the Blood Moor empty handed. Not even with a bit of what he was after.

"WOW! He's gone! Thank you…Hey! She's gone. What's all this about more than one goddess, now?" Missaru turned back and tried to find her brother again.

"Hey, Ran! Where are ya?" Missaru called to her lost brother. "Oh, there he is." Missaru walked over to Ran and released him.

"So cold…so…cold…"

"What…what's wrong, Ran? I was only gone for a minute." Ran looked up at Missaru, and then he ran up to her and he embraced her. "Ran? Ohh…Ran."

"T-they came."

"Who came, Ran?" Missaru asked with increasing curiosity.

"The fox deity. Inari came!"

"INARI! WOW! You actually saw him?!"

"Yea, he was just over there," Ran said pointing to a secluded part of the fox grove. "Inari looked at me and then he was walking toward me. I heard a fox howl, and he ran off. Then, another fox came out from those trees, but it was a black fox. It had strange green eyes, and it looked as though it was enveloped in spirits. It walked for a while and it stopped. Then, it looked at me with those glowing green eyes. It felt like he was peering into my soul. Then he crept up with his head down low and… I could hear him. He was talking to me. I don't really know what he was saying, but… it wasn't right. Something foul is afoot, Missaru! And I'll bet it's Andaria's fault! I just know it, Missaru!"

"Ok, Ran. I don't know what to make of this, so go home. Go to mother and tell her…nay, don't tell her. I have too many things to deal with. Don't tell her what happened. I find out and…and I'll come back, and I'll save you! All of you!"

"Uhh…Missaru? Missaru? MISSARU!" Missaru suddenly woke up from a daydream. "Have you gone mad? This is ANDARIA. ANDARIA! You can't possibly save us."

"Ran! I can and I shall defeat her. I will gather a mob or something. I will defeat her," she knelt down in front of Ran, "I won't let you down." Missaru began to walk off.

"Missaru, you don't know if it is Andaria, and you don't know if anything is even wrong."

Missaru stopped. "I…uhh…Well, I will just go to the town of Kelm and see what I can find out. Perhaps something will show up. Good-bye, Ran." Missaru hugged her brother and turned away. She began the journey, even if it wasn't long, to Kelm.

"Good-bye Missaru. I'll miss you…" Ran turned and ran to his home.

"Ok, Missaru, old girl. Find Darien now. He will help you."

Missaru dashed out of the meadow. She ran all over. She ran through the towns' back alleys and buttresses until she came to the very last building in the town. If you go in order of time, it is the very first. It was an old church that was draped with cobwebs. The once beautiful crystalline windows that had vibrant brass panes were now tarnished and the crystals' vivid colors faded. Vandals had ripped tapestries and broken the now rotten benches. Missaru crept behind it and slipped in through an opening that had rotted into the building. She easily came upon what she had wanted. There was a boy, not quite a man, sleeping leaned against a pedestal.

"Darien? Darien…" Missaru was whispering. She got up and grabbed what had once been a brazier used for light and made something from some herbs she had been carrying. She put this mixture in a green cloth and wrapped it up. Then she placed the cloth beneath the boy's nose.

"Ah! W-what? What's going on…Oh, Missaru, I thought someone had found me. Have you spoken to the goddess?"

"Uh, kind of…"

"How can you 'kind of' speak to a goddess, Missaru?"

"Well, I didn't know how to summon her and then Clyde showed up again and the goddess just popped up and she said that she was number two that has been summoned or something and I asked her to get rid of him and she did and then I turned around and she was gone."