《Wielders Of Magic》 Prologue Thousands of families had entered the cave over the years. All of them were hoping their child would be the chosen one. The one to protect their realm. The psychic, an elderly fairy, stood at the end of the cave. She was the one who would choose the protector of the realm. She could tell if they were strong enough to take on the role, but she could never predict if they would succeed. Her hair was once a vibrant blue, but over the years the color faded. It happens to all of the fairies. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. A star elf woman stood at the head of the line. Cradled in her arms was a small human child wrapped in a black cloak that was too big for her. The child had light blue irises with a purple ring around the pupil. Her hair was black with streaks of violet. "What are your names?" The psychic asked the star elf. "She is Azura. I''m Serene," she replied. The psychic took the child in her arms. Azura had a strong spirit. She also had powerful magic within her. "She will be a brave protector of the human realm," the fairy told Serene. "I knew she was meant for great things," Serene said. In the years ahead Azura trained and honed her skills. She soon became a skilled wielder of magic. Chapter 1: The Edge Of The Mountain I stand on the edge of the cliff looking down. All of the villages and towns look so small from where I''m standing. The wind blows violently. It scatters the falling snow everywhere. I pull my hood up to shield myself from the harsh winter air. I gaze at a castle on a faraway land. The most powerful magic wielder resides there. His name is Zarnest. Zarnest uses dark magic. His magic threatens all three realms. It is slowly destroying them. He sacrifices innocent souls to be a part of his army. It is my duty as the protector of the human realm to stop him. I can''t do it alone though. I need to rally the protector of the elven realm and the fairy realm. The protectors of the realms were chosen at birth to watch after the realms and their residents. I walk through the forest. My cottage isn''t far. My black cloak that I''ve had for years is the only protection I have for the cold. I''ve been meaning to venture into the village at the base of the mountain, but I just never have time. I can see my home from here. Ivy with blooming purple flowers clings to the outside walls of the cottage. This place has been my home for my whole life. I never knew my real parents. I was left outside the cottage when I was a baby. A star elf took me in. She trained me to use my magic. She passed away three years ago. I miss her so much. I open the door and walk in. I throw my bag on one of the wooden chairs. I look out the windows. Herbs are hung from the window to dry. I sit by the fire. Thunder roars outside. I open the front door. Lightning strikes only a few feet away. It sends out a shock wave that throws me back into one of the walls. The house falls down around me. Wood from the roof is on top of my legs. I push it off. Storm clouds are coming this way. Zarnest''s magic is causing these unpredictable storms. I have to find the other protectors. It''s the only way to stop this. I rush through the snow covered forest towards a cave. It isn''t just any cave. It''s a gateway between the realms. A door starts to form at the opening of the cave. I walk through the door and open my eyes in the elven realm. I''ve never been here before, but I have heard stories about this place. Tall trees with black bark and dark blue leaves tower over me. I can see the city of Silvervein. A shining silver castle is the largest of the buildings in the city. I''m a bit worried to be here. Humans have never gotten along with elves. I pull my hood up as I walk to the gates surrounding the city. Two guards stand outside. I try to walk past them, but one of them grabs my arm.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. "Where do you think you''re going?" he asks. He pushes me back and rips my hood down. "You''re a human. You know that this isn''t a welcoming place for you," he says with the tip of his dagger against my throat. "I''m here for a reason. I''m the protector of the mortal realm," I say. He rips my amethyst necklace from me. The necklace is also a symbol of my status. Only the protectors of the realms have them. They lift me up and start guiding me through the city. "Can I have that back?" I ask the guard that has my necklace. He ignores me. They march me through the city and stop at a training ground. A young elf woman is training with two guards. She has long silver and gold hair in a braid. She also has one silver eye and one gold eye. I''m guessing she''s part star elf and part sun elf based on her appearance. She disappears and reappears behind them. She''s using her magic to teleport across the battlefield. "Faye, something needs your attention," the guard next to me says. "Give me a minute!" she snaps at him. She dual wields her swords with grace. She soon finishes her battle. "What is it now?" she asks. The guard holds up the amethyst necklace. It''s the same one she has on. "This woman claims to be a protector of the human realm," "Leave us. I''d like to talk to her alone," Faye says. She takes my necklace from him. She inspects it carefully. "It''s real," I say to her. "What''s your name?" she asks. "Azura," I reply. "Zarnest''s spells have had their effect here, too. I guess we''re stopping him. Where to first?" she says. I didn''t expect her to be on board so fast. "Well, we still need the support from the fairy realm," I reply. The wind picks up. The tree branches shake. I look at the sky. Storm clouds are rolling in fast. Lightning strikes about twenty feet away. Knights appear from the strikes. They have swords and a shield. Zarnest sent them. "Are you ready to fight?" I ask her. "I was born ready," Faye replies. She draws her swords. I draw my staff. It''s made of wood with a purple crystal tied to the top. Runes are etched into the wood. Faye charges at them. She pounds her sword into one of their shields. I tap the staff on the ground. A shock wave flows from it. It knocks Zarnest''s soldiers off their feet. "Nice job!" Faye says. "Thank you, but I''m just getting started," I reply. The crystal at the end starts to glow. I hit one of the knights with the staff. He blocks it with the shield. Faye materializes behind him. She drives her sword through his heart. Only two remain now. The one in front of me swings her sword at me. I dodge just barely missing the blade. I slam my staff into her shield. It shatters. She falls back. I take her sword and stab her in the abdomen. Faye finishes the other one off. "You did good," Faye compliments me. "So did you," I reply. I lead her to the cave I came here through. The door forms. I open it. We walk through. The fairy realm is much more colorful than the others. The trees have white bark with a rainbow of leaves. Each leaf is a different color. Flowers are all around us. I lower my hood. It''s much warmer here, too. I hear fighting ahead. I climb one of the trees. I sit on one of the branches. Fairies are fighting Zarnest''s knights. Faye charges into battle. I follow her. One fairy catches my attention. She has magenta eyes and pink hair. Her wings are the same color as her hair. The one detail that stands out to me is her necklace. It matches mine. I can''t walk over to her yet. I need to deal with these knights first. I leap out of the tree. My staff is in my hand. Faye is next to me. It''s time to fight. Chapter 2: The Battle I strike the knights shield with my staff. He falls back. The fairy with the amethyst necklace whistles. Everyone stops for a moment. I hear movement between the trees. A murder of crows flies overhead. There is so many that I can''t see the sky. They start attacking the knights. That fairy summoned them. The battle takes a completely different turn. The fairies are winning. The few knights left retreat. I walk towards the fairy who summoned the crows. I only get a few feet away before the other fairies stop me. "Who are you?" she asks. She then notices my necklace. "Let her go. She''s not a threat," she says. They step back. "I''m Kala, what are your names?" she asks. "I''m Azura and this is Faye," I reply. "I know why you''re here. Lead the way," Kala says. Faye brings us back to the cave. We travel to the human realm. I walk over to the edge of the mountain. It''s going to be a long journey to Zarnest''s island. He will do anything to stop us. I lead them down the mountain. We''re all very careful about our footing. One slip and you''ll go tumbling down the mountain. "It''s freezing out here!" Faye complains. "I don''t think it''s that cold. You''re used to warmer climates though," I reply. Dragons fly overhead. They are naturally peaceful creatures, unless they''re provoked. "You summoned those birds. You''re magic can control animals, right?" I ask Kala. "Yes, why?" she responds. "I was just curious," We eventually reach the base of the mountain. I lead them through the forest. Just beyond it is a small village. I intend to stop there and gear up. I''ve never been beyond the village. I have no idea what awaits us out there.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. The trees here have dark brown bark with green leaves. The realms are all very different from each other. I enter the village. The residents keep their distance from us. Some even completely avoid us. "You brought an elf and a fairy here?" One of the residents says. "Mind your own damn business," I snap at him. I stop at one of the houses. She sells weapons and armor. I knock on the door. I''m friends with woman who lives here. She opens the door. "Azura, what brings you here?" she asks. "We need some supplies," I say. She opens the door all the way. She eyes my staff. "You know, your staff is getting pretty old. I''d be happy to trade you," she says. "It works just fine. You''re not getting it," I reply. A sword on the wall draws my attention. It has a amethyst handle. I take it off the wall. I don''t usually like swords, but this one is different. Kala picks out a red bow that has feathers and beads hanging off if it. I see Faye looking at the shields. She grabs a steel one. I pay for everything with a few rare gemstones I''ve found over the years. We then head out. I walk down the dirt road. We enter the forest again. I hear rustling in the bushes. A large snake exits the bush. It''s two times taller than me. It''s scales are purple with stripes of black. It''s venomous, too. I''ve dealt with these things before. They''re not easy to fight. Kala draws her bow. "Put it down and step back slowly," I say. The three of us step back. The snake attacks. Faye disappears. Kala pulls me out of the way. She drags me towards a cliff. I look down. It''s a long way to the ground. Faye appears next to us. Kala can fly, but she wouldn''t be able to bring Faye and I. The snake slithers over to us. "Why can''t we just fight it?" Faye asks. "It''ll kill us in seconds," I respond. "Might as well jump if we''re going to die either way," Kala says before leaping off the cliff. She''s got a point. I jump and Faye jumps. Tree branches scrape at me as I fall through them. Vines wrap around my legs. They stop me from falling. I''m hanging upside down. I try to cut myself down, but I can''t reach the vines. Kala gets up. She pulls out a dagger. She cuts me down. I fall and hit my head. I''m dizzy and disoriented. People stand in the trees around us. A woman approaches us. She is wearing clothes made from animal furs. She has eagle feathers in her hair. She''s a shapeshifter. "You look like you need help," she says. "Yeah, we could use some help," I say as I stand up. "Come with me," she says. She shifts into an eagle and guides us through the forest. Through the whole walk, her people watch us closely. She leads us to her camp. She''s the leader of a group of shapeshifters. "We don''t see many people these days. What brings you out here?" she says. "We''re just traveling through the area," I reply. I don''t want to tell anyone what the three of us are really here for.This woman may possibly be connected to Zarnest. Faye and Kala sit by the fire. The sun is setting. "It''ll be night soon. You should stay here until the morning," the woman says. "We''ll be leaving soon," I say. "We should stay," Kala says. "Do you know what''s at stake here? We don''t have time to waste," I say. "Azura is right. Let''s go," Faye says. Kala stands up. I step through the forest. It''s much colder now that the sun has set. I set my foot down on the rope bridge in front of me. It sways back and forth. I continue to walk on it. I''m slow and careful with my movements. A river rages under the bridge. I''m halfway across now. I hear wood breaking. Kala screams. I look back. One of the wood planks fell through. She''s barely holding on. Faye approaches her. "Be careful," I say. Faye disappears and materializes behind Kala. She slowly pulls her up. Maybe crossing this was a bad idea. I''m almost to the other side so I might as well continue. I pick up the pace just a little. Another wood plank breaks. I turn back. Faye fell. The bridge continues to snap. I stand still. Is Faye okay? I can''t see her. Kala falls through. The rope that secures the bridge snaps. Chapter 3: Within The Cavern I fall into the river below. I can''t fight its strong current. I''m swept away by it. The water is ice cold. I don''t see the others. My head is forced under the water. I can''t reach the surface no matter how hard I try. Arms wrap around me and pull me out. I lay on my back. Kala and Faye look down at me. "Are you alright?" Faye asks. I sit up. "I think so," I reply. I shiver from the cold. Faye helps me to my feet. A cavern stands in front of us. Kala makes a torch and holds it towards the opening. It''s the only path we have to take. I enter the cave. The torch provides barely any light. A roar echoes through the cavern making it shake. I see what caused it. It''s a Steelskin. A large lizard like creature with hard plating on its back. It locks eyes with me. It''s glowing orange eyes stare at me. It charges. I move out of the way. Kala shoots an arrow at it. The arrow bounces off its skin. Faye hits the lizard with her sword. The sword shatters. Faye backs up. "How are we supposed to defeat this thing if none of us can successfully land a hit on it?" she asks. "It has hard plating on its back. Can you slide under it and stab it in the heart?" I say. "I can try," she says. It swings its long tail and knocks me off my feet. Faye manages to slide underneath it. She stabs it like I told her to. She appears next to me. The lizard is dead.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. "Well, that wasn''t easy," she says. "Come on. I think I see a light ahead," Kala says. I follow her. I can feel a draft so an exit must be close. We navigate the dark cave until we see an opening. I walk out of the cavern and into the forest. A small settlement in the distance is our next stop. Stopping and getting some sleep is my first priority now. There are a few vacant houses for visitors. I enter one of them. The beds look extremely uncomfortable. What other choice do we have though? "I thought we weren''t supposed to be stopping," Kala says. "It''s only for a few hours," I reply. I lay on one of the beds. It feels like I''m laying on the ground. A draft comes inside from under the door. I miss sleeping in my cottage. It was the only home I have ever known. I grew up there. It had so many memories and now its gone. I fall asleep a few moments later. Faye shakes me awake at dawn. I quickly get ready. I wait outside for the others. Once they join me, we walk down the road. The road leads into the forest. I stop. I hear rustling leaves and twigs snapping. "We''re not alone," I whisper. Two elves and a human come out from behind a tree. Archers stand in the trees. Their bows are pointed at us. The human approaches me. He has several scars across his face. "You''re in our territory," he says. "This isn''t yours. You don''t own the forest," I say. The archers let the arrows fly. I put my hands up. The motion creates a barrier around us. The arrows deflect off it. I unsheathe my sword. The barrier falls. Faye vanishes. She takes care of the archers in the trees. I swing my sword. The man blocks the attack with his sword. Kala shoots the two elves down with her arrows. The man swings his sword. I back away. More of his people emerge. I put my sword away and switch to my staff. I use my magic to turn invisible. I scale one of the trees. They don''t know where I am. Kala disappeared, too. I see Faye in the tree next to me. She leaps out of the tree and slashes the leader''s arm. An arrow burrows itself in my arm. I fall from the branch. Blood pours onto the ground. They have Kala and Faye at knifepoint. My shoulder is killing me. I try my hardest to get a spell started. Fire starts from my fingertip and burns rapidly. The fire burns out. That wasn''t what I wanted. I pull myself up. Fire starts at my feet and rises. I draw my sword. An elf charges at me. I stab her through the stomach. She falls to the ground. Faye and Kala break free. They finish off the last few people. I drop to the ground. Faye helps me up. She sits me on a tree stump. "I need to pull the arrow out, okay?" Faye says. "No, please no," I say. "Azura, you don''t have a choice," Kala tells me. Faye wraps her hand around the arrow. Kala holds my hand. Faye yanks the arrow out. I scream in pain. Blood gushes out from the wound. I pass out from blood loss and the pain. Chapter 4: Clinging To Life I''m so tired. Faye is carrying me. I woke up a few minutes ago. I don''t think I''m going to make it. I''ve lost a lot of blood. Every now and then I slip back into unconsciousness. Faye sets me down on a rock. She has to help me sit upright. Kala casts a healing spell on the wound. It only eases the pain a tiny bit. "Look, leave me. Leave me here. I will only hold you back. You two need to defeat Zarnest. If you don''t the three realms will no longer exist," I tell them. "No, it will take all of us to defeat him. You''ll heal," Kala says. I stand up. "Let''s go," I mumble. I wobble as I walk. "You can''t even walk by yourself," Faye says. She picks me up. They stop. I look ahead. A lake stretches out for miles. "I guess we have to swim. Going around would take forever," Kala says. I hope I can swim with my shoulder. Faye lets me stand by myself. I feel better now. I think Kala''s healing spell is finally kicking in. I slowly enter the water. Faye and Kala are right behind me. I start swimming. The pain isn''t too bad. I feel something wrap around my ankle. I''m pulled under the water. A siren is below me. It has rows of sharp teeth and green scaly skin. It''s eyes are a bright red. I swing my sword. It''s much harder to wield a weapon under the water. The sword cuts the siren''s face. It let''s go long enough for me to get away. I rise to the surface. "Are you-" Faye starts to speak. "Get back on the land!" I yell interrupting her. Faye and Kala walk backwards away from the water. I swim as fast as I can back to them. "What happened?" Kala asks. "Sirens are in the lake," I say. "Great, I guess we have to go around it," Faye says. I lead them through the forest. I stop when I see an island in the distance. "Is that Zarnest''s island?" Kala asks.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. "Yeah, I can''t believe we found it this fast," I say. A storm rages on between where we stand and where the island is. It isn''t a normal storm, it was created by magic to keep us away. The waves move violently. "There is no way a boat would make it without being destroyed," Faye says. Dragons flying through the storm gives me an idea. "We don''t need a boat. We need dragons," I say. They stare at me like I''m insane. "Dragons? That''s your idea?" Faye asks in shock and disbelief. "Kala can tame animals with her magic. It probably works on dragons, too," I say. "Yes, I can tame animals, but I have no idea if I could do the same with a dragon," Kala replies. "We have to try though because if we don''t everyone is going to die,". I say. "Let''s try it then," Kala says. We begin to climb a nearby mountain which is home to many dragons. I reach the top first. Faye and Kala join me. Three dragons stare at us. One is covered in pearl white scales with deep blue eyes. One is orange and red with bright red eyes. The other one is green with yellow eyes. Kala slowly approaches them while Faye and I stay back. The dragons walk backwards as Kala walks towards them. Her hands start to glow bright pink. She places her hand on the head of the white one. It calms down. The dragon then approaches Faye. Faye pets it. "I have the perfect name for you, Winter," Faye says to it. After Kala tames the green one it comes to me. "What are you two going to name yours?" Faye asks. "I''m thinking...Gaia," I reply. "Mine is Ember," Kala says. "Well, what are we waiting for? Shouldn''t we go?" Faye asks. "I''ve been thinking about it and...there is no way we''ll win against Zarnest by ourselves. We need to ask the leaders of the realms for help," I say. "What if they don''t want to help?" Kala asks. "They have to. Their lives depend upon it," I reply. "If we have to do this we should hurry up. Let''s split up. Each of us will take our own realm," Kala says. I climb onto the back of the dragon. "We''ll meet up at the woods just before the island," I say. The dragon takes off. This is exhilarating! The only issue I have with flying is I''m afraid of falling. I look at the capital of the human realm, Solius. It''s a large city expanding out for miles. The castle is the tallest building in the city. I land the dragon just outside the city. I walk past the guards at the front gates. "Where do you think you''re going?" One of them asks. I show him my necklace. "Oh, I"m sorry, Azura," he says. I take a horse from one of the stables. Walking through the city to the castle would take forever and time isn''t exactly on our side. I hate coming here. The king and queen treat me like a incompetent child. They always say that I am too young to be protector of the realm. The ride through the city is nice. All the houses are painted bright colors. Flowers are planted all around. The horse reaches the castle. I jump off it. I walk to the doors. The guards stop me. "Move! I''m the protector of the realm, remember?" I say. They step aside. I enter the castle. A red carpet is rolled out from the front door to the king and queen''s thrones. I walk on it. Halfway across I realize I left muddy footprints on it. Great, they''re going to give me trouble about that. "Azura, what brings you here?" Alwin, the king, asks. "Zarnest as you''ve seen has become a major threat to all three realms. Kala, Faye, and I plan to defeat him, but we need help...so I''m asking you to send your army to Zarnest''s island," I say. "Are you joking? You expect me to put my faith in three girls who are barely out of their teens to stop a powerful wizard who has been alive for a century?" he asks. "You don''t understand-" I begin to say before he cuts me off. "I think I understand well enough," he says. "No, you don''t. You have to trust me. Either, you help us and die trying or Zarnest destroys everything," I say. "Alwin, listen to her," his wife, Dahlia, says. "She came in here, dirtied my palace, and is now expecting me to send my soldiers on a mission where the outcome is certain death. Guards escort her out," Alwin says. Two guards start to approach me. "No! I will not leave until you help me! I was chosen to save the world and I''m going to no matter what!" I say. "If my husband won''t help you, I will," Dahlia says standing up. "Thank you," I say. "Do you really want to give up? Do you really want our daughter to not have a world to grow up in?" Dahlia asks. "Fine, I''ll send my army," Alwin says. Chapter 5: The Island I look at the island. This is it. I am so nervous. What happens if we fail? I get on my dragon. Faye and Kala got support from their realms. Faye got support easily because she is the daughter of the king and queen. We fly towards the island. The human, elven, and fairy soldiers do the same. The rain pelts us and we''re soaked in seconds. Lighting crashes all around us. A few strikes hit some of the dragon riders. I try my hardest to avoid them. Waves rise and fall beneath us. I can see Zarnest''s army on the island. I jump off the dragon and dive straight into the water. I rise to the surface. I step onto the island. The wind rattles the trees. I draw my staff. I run at the knights. I slam my staff into the knights shield. An explosion of light sends me back. The shield has some sort of enchantment on it. Faye swings at the knight. The same happens to her.Stolen story; please report. I ball my hands up into fists. Purple light glows from them. I punch the knight in the face. He flies back. Everyone stares at me. No one was expecting that. I pick my staff up off the ground. A weird smell plagues the air. Red smoke leaks out of the castle doors. As it moves through the battlefield, people start passing out. I grab the end of my cloak and hold it over my face. I need to fix this, now! I use my magic to redirect the smoke. It swirls around me. It slowly dissipates. Everyone rises up minutes later. I open the doors to the castle. Zarnest stands behind an altar. He''s wearing a black cloak with sliver accents. "So, you''ve finally come to defeat me. Too bad you won''t live to see tomorrow," he says. Faye appears behind him. She swings her sword. He turns around. With just a movement of his hands he sends her flying back. She hits the wall. Kala shoots her bow. Zarnest directs the arrow back at her. I push her out of the way. It''s my turn now. I summon a ring of fire around him. He disappears and reappears behind me. I spin around. He brings his sword down. I block it with my staff. The staff is cut in half. "You can''t defeat me!" he says. I draw my sword. I slash his arm. He backs up. I can see Kala getting a shot ready. I just need to keep him distracted. Kala lets the arrow go. It hits him in the neck. I stab him in the abdomen with the sword. He falls. "Curse you! Curse you all!" he yells. Chapter 6: The Path Ahead I stand at the edge of the cliff. It''s been a week since Zarnest''s defeat. In that week, we''ve rebuilt my cottage and helped out a few towns. The realm portals are open, for good. All three realms have united. The human realm gets daily fairy and elven visitors. The battle against Zarnest isn''t over. Recently we''ve learned that he infused weapons with his magic. In the wrong hands, the weapons are extremely dangerous. We must find and destroy them. The three of us will begin that journey tomorrow. Tonight we celebrate our victory. Tonight Alwin is throwing a party in our honor. "Azura, are you coming?" Kala asks. "Yeah, give me a minute," I say. I get on my dragon. We fly down the mountain and towards Solius. The stars shine brightly tonight. We land the dragons by the front gates of the city. A carriage transports us to the castle. Alwin and Dahlia meet us outside. "It''s good to see you. Thank you for everything you''ve done," Dahlia says. "You''re welcome," Faye says. A star elf woman approaches Faye. She has bright silver eyes and long silver hair. They hug. I''m guessing that''s her mother. A sun elf man joins them. He has short gold hair and his eyes are the same color. That must be Faye''s father. "Come in. I had the best dressmaker in the city make each of you something unique," Alwin says. We walk inside. I notice two of the king''s maids cleaning the rug.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. "I''m sorry about that," I say. "Oh, it''s fine. If they can''t get the mud stains out, we''ll just buy a new one," Dahlia says. They lead us to the guest bedrooms. I walk into one of the rooms. A blue dress is laid out on the bed. It has gold colored sleeves. It also has gold swirls and accents on the bottom. I quickly get changed and then head out. Kala stands with me. Her dress is gorgeous. Its sleeves have light pink dragon scales attached to them. The dress is a gradient that has dark pink at the top and light purple at the bottom. "I love your dress," I say. "Thank you. Yours is beautiful, too," she replies. Faye steps out off the room. Everyone stares at her dress in awe. The dress is a black and grey gradient. A silver moon is stitched on the front with tiny stars all around it. Small crystals and beads hang off the end of the sleeves. "You look wonderful," her mother says. She turns to us. "I don''t believe we''ve met. I''m Faye''s mother, Freya," she says. "I''m Azura," I say. "My names is Kala," "Both of you look stunning," she says. She walks away. "Are your parents coming?" I ask Kala. "No, I asked if they would, but...they said they were too busy. They''re always too busy to spend time with me." "What about your parents?" She asks. "I never knew them. An elf raised me...she died three years ago," I reply. Soon after our conversation the party starts. Trays filled with seafood are place on the tables. Guests flood in through the doors. I lean against the wall and observe the others. I notice a hooded person move through the crowd. A dagger is in their hands. I push past the elves, fairies, and humans to find this person. Whatever they''re planning isn''t going to fly with me. I chase after them. "Stop!" I yell at them. Somebody knocks into me. I fall. "Hey, are you alright?" Kala asks as she helps me up. I take off. "Azura! Where are you going?" she says. I continue after the hooded figure. What are they up to? I have to catch them. They run into the hall. They turn left. I turn to the left. They''re gone. They vanished. I was right behind them. "What are you doing?" Kala asks. "I saw someone. They had a dagger. I chased whoever it was, but...they disappeared," I say. "I''ll tell Alwin. Maybe he''ll call a few more guards to keep a lookout," she says. "Okay, that''s a good idea," I say. The night goes on and the person isn''t spotted again. Where did they go? Why were they here? What did they want? Chapter 7: The Cave Of Crystals I grab my black cloak from the closet. The others are waiting outside. The cottage looks different now that it has been rebuilt. I like the new look, but I miss the old look. I step outside. The cold hits me like a wave. I unfold our map. "So, there are three weapons that we''re looking for. One in this realm, one in the elven realm, and one in the fairy realm. Where should we go first?" I ask. "The one in the fairy realm is in that cave, right?" Kala asks as she points to a place on the map. I nod. "I know where the cave of crystals is. I think we should go there first." "It''s settled, then" Faye replies. We walk through the gateway. I love this realm. It''s so peaceful and calming. Unlike where I''m from, everyone here is nice to each other. Back in the human realm everyone is at odds. Kala takes the lead. She brings us to the entrance of a cave. The three of us step inside. The walls are lined with crystals. They all range in color and size. I pull out my dagger and chip off a medium sized cluster of blue crystal points. I like having souvenirs from our adventures. It gives me something to remember them by. As we continue further into the cave the sound of rushing water grows louder. Finally, we see the source of the noise. A river runs through the cave and joins with a small pond.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. "What exactly are we looking for?" Faye asks. "A small sword with a dark black metal hilt," I respond. "Is this it?" I hear behind us. I spin around so fast I make self a bit dizzy. It''s the hooded figure from last night. By the voice, I''m thinking it''s a woman. She pulls down her hood. She''s human. She''s got the same eyes and facial features of Zarnest. "You''re his daughter, aren''t you?" I ask. "You guessed it! I''m Zara. Well, what are you waiting for? Don''t you want this?" she says as she waves the sword. Something is not right. "Look, we don''t have to fight. Just hand it over," Kala pleads with her. "Oh, you don''t want a fight? You wanted one when you murdered my father," Zara says. "That was different. His magic was slowly destroying the realms. We didn''t have a choice. He had a choice though. He could''ve stopped. He didn''t have to work with dark magic, but he wanted to. Take responsibility and put the sword down. Don''t end up like your father," Faye says. "It wasn''t that easy! Once you start working with with the realm of darkness you can''t stop! He couldn''t break his ties with the darkness," she yells. Realm of darkness? What is she talking about? She waves her hand. A ball of black light flies towards us. I put up my hands and a shield of magic encircles us. The light glides through the shield with ease. It hits me in the chest. I fall back. Everything goes dark. I feel like I''m floating. I stand up taking a look around as I do. Everything around me is black and dark. People walk past me. As I look closer, I realize that they''re...dead. Is this the realm of darkness Zara was talking about? I''m standing in black water. I need to get out of here, fast! I pull myselfup. I summon a small ball of light to illuminate the darkness. I look into the forest. Creatures stand in the trees. They have pointed ears, a small torso, and a long furry tail. They hiss at me showing off their fangs. How do I escape this weird place? A dark castle is down further. I make my way towards it. The doors open by themselves. A large black crystal is on a pedestal. I can feel magic radiating off of it. Is this what gave Zarnest and Zara their powers? I slowly reach towards it. Seconds later, I''m ripped from the realm. I sit up and gasp for breath. Kala and Faye sit next to me. "We thought you weren''t going to wake up," Faye says. "Did you get Zara?" I ask. "She disappeared after you passed out," Kala replies. "I saw the realm of darkness she was talking about. It''s where her and Zarnest got their powers from. It''s a terrifying place," I say. Chapter 8: The Darkness Lto fists. A dark purple light glows from them. I rush towards the elf. I punch him in the nose then the stomach. He collapses. "Please, spare me," he begs. I hit him again. He falls. I look over at Faye. Zara managed to break free and is fighting her. Kala hangs back and fires arrows one of the star elves. An arrow strikes the elf in the heart. I summon a ring of fire around Zara to block her in. She simply waves her hands and the flames vanish. No one has been able to do that before. She appears in front of me. I grab my sword. "Prepare yourselves. My people want war with the other realms. We will destroy all of you," Zara says staring me in the eyes. I stare back. "You shouldn''t stand so close," I say before slashing my sword at her. She grabs the blade before it touches her. It cuts her hand. "You cannot stop me," she whispers. Zara and her friends vanish. "We''re the protectors of the realms and we couldn''t even get here in time to save them? We failed! They''re dead because of us!" I yell. "We have to go! Zara went after them, but she might be looking to kill the king and queen of the other two realms. That would be the best way to weaken us," Kala says. "Oh my god. My parents could be in danger!" Faye says. "Go, take Azura with you. I''ll check up on my realm," Kala says. I follow her outside. I whistle to call my dragon. Gaia lands next to me. I climb on. The violent wind makes it hard to fly. We fly as fast as we can. I direct Gaia to fly lower before she lands in the forest. The open realm portal glows ominously. Faye steps through it then I do. The dragons follow us. "Come on, this way!" Faye says as she walks on the dirt road to the left. She stops at a rock wall. "Are you sure this is the right way? Silvervein is that way," I say.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. "It is the right way. Silvervein isn''t where my parents live. The palace there is just for show. The real kingdom is hidden," Faye says as she begins to climb up the wall. I follow her. We reach the top and continue on through the woods. She stops at a cave. Paintings and crystals decorate the opening. She steps inside. I follow along. Guards welcome us and guide us deeper into the cavern. Her mother and father sit on thrones at the end of the cave. Faye speaks with the guards. "Did you see anything unusual?" she asks. "No," the guard replies. "How long do you think we''ll have to wait?" Faye asks me. "Depends. If Zara went after the fairy realm, first it could be a while," I reply. "But when she does show her face, she''s dead!" "Azura, the deaths of the rulers in your realm are not your fault," Faye tells me. "They always told me I was too young to be protector of the realm. They were right," I reply. Faye stays quiet. Guards run inside carrying a woman. She''s got a bleeding wound on her abdomen. "I guess we didn''t have to wait quite that long," Faye says. "Wait!" A small, weak voice says. We turn around. A short, elderly star elf woman stands there. Her eyes are sapphire blue. Her long white hair is in several thin braids. Her cloak conceals most of her. "It''s madame Sage, the eldest witch in the kingdom," Faye explains. "You girls are going to need help out there," she says. She digs in her pockets before pulling out two small dark blue crystals. "This will give you a bit of a boost," she says. "Thank you," I say before taking mine. I quickly put it on my necklace chain. "Good luck," Sage says. "Thank you, Grandma," Faye says. We step outside. Zara stands there. "Come on. Show me what you got," she taunts us. Faye vanishes. She doesn''t reappear. A cut forms on Zara''s arm. Faye appears. She''s holding a bloody dagger. The crystal must have given her invisibility. I wonder how the crystal affected my powers. I run towards Zara. I''m faster than usual. I punch her. She flies back. I''m way stronger too. She jumps up. She slashes her sword at me. I grab the hilt of it and pull it out of her hands. Faye appears behind her and puts her in a chokehold. She claws at Faye''s hands. "Let go!" she gasps for air. Faye lets her go, but only for a second. She pushes her onto the ground. Elves, fairies, and humans emerge from the forest. They surround us. "Kala is in danger. If you don''t let go of me, I will order my people to kill her," Zara says. I look at Faye. "You''re lying," Faye says. "Her village is being burned down as we speak," Zara says. If we leave Zara will attack, if we stay Kala might be killed. I zip through the forest taking out Zara''s men one by one. Soon they all lay dead. Zara vanishes yet again. "Come on. I knew we shouldn''t let Kala go on her own," Faye says. We run to the realm portal and jump through it. In the distance, smoke fills the air. A small village is blazing. We ride the dragons towards it. I scan the area for Kala. I see her on the ground. I land Gaia nearby. She''s crying. "Kala, what''s wrong?" Faye asks. She looks ahead. Two fairies are on the ground. Their hair is bright pink like Kala''s. "They killed them! They murdered my parents! They left the king and queen alone and went straight for my family!" she screams. She crawls towards them. "Kala, we have to go!" Faye says. "My sister...I can''t find her. Please, find her," Kala yells at me. "Where is she?" I ask. "She''s probably in our house," she says as she points down the road. I run towards it. I kick the door open. The flames bend to my will as I redirect them. "Help!" I hear upstairs. I climb up the stairs. A young fairy is pinned underneath a wooden beam. Her hair and eyes are a bright green color. I lift the beam with ease. I wouldn''t be able to that without the crystal. The elf runs down the stairs. A human gets in her way. I direct the fire to hit him. He screams in pain from the burn. I pick up the fairy and carry her outside. "Lily!" Kala calls out as she walks over to us. She takes Lily out of my arms. We watch as the house crumbles from the flames. "We''ll be okay," Kala reassures Lily. I don''t think she believes that statement. I wish I could. Chapter 9: From The Ashes I sit on the floor of my cottage. I always found comfort in this place...I don''t anymore. The human realm is without a leader. Zara hasn''t been seen in days and everything is falling down around us. I get up and add more wood to the fire. Faye, Kala, and Lily are in the cottage with me. A knock at the door surprises me. I rarely get visitors. I open it. Dahlia and Alwin''s daughter is outside. "Delphine, I didn''t expect you here," I say. She walks inside. Her long black dress is covered in snow which she tracks inside. I just cleaned the place! "As princess, I am to ascend to the throne, but...it just doesn''t feel right, you know?" She says. "Well, we need a ruler and-" I begin to say before she stops me. "You would be a great ruler," she says. Me? Being queen? I can''t do that! I''ll mess everything up so badly. "No, I can''t...I failed you, failed your parents, I failed the realm," I say. "How were you supposed to know that Zara would do that?" She asks. "You didn''t fail anyone," "The answer is still no. I just won''t be able to do it," I say. "Azura, please. I can''t make the necessary decisions like you can. Solius needs a queen and that should be you," she says. War is coming. These people need a leader...maybe I should be that leader. "Okay, but only temporarily. Just until the war ends," I reply. "Who knows? Maybe you''ll love it and want to stay as queen!" She responds. "Anyways, come to Solius with me and we''ll make it official," "I can''t go right now, I''ll meet you there," I say. She leaves. I turn to the others. "Did I make the right choice?" I ask them. "Of course you did. You stepped up and took responsibility," Faye says. "I guess I better get going," I say. I walk outside. Can I do this? Maybe I should''ve waited...it''s not like I can change my mind now. I approach Gaia. I pet her. The others join me outside.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. "Are you coming with me?" I ask. "Of course we are," Faye says. I climb onto my dragon. We take flight. As we get closer to Solius I notice something in the distance. Dragon riders are coming towards us. Zara is leading them. Dragons riders approach us from behind. They swoop down and try to attack us. Gaia swerves out of the way. I almost lose my grip and fall. I steady myself. "Let''s split up! I''ll see you in Solius," I yell to the others. I fly lower hoping to escape into the forest. The dragon behind me bites Gaia''s tail. I pull a dagger out of my bag. I throw it at the dragon. It hits the dragon in the eye. The dragon let''s go. Gaia crashes into the forest. I''m launched off her. Dirt stains my cloak. Bleeding scrapes cover my body. I pull myself up. Gaia is lying down. Thankfully she isn''t injured too badly. "Go back home, I''ll be okay," I say to her. I walk through the forest. I hope the others are okay. I hear snapping twigs and crunching leaves behind me. I take cover behind a tree and wait for the person''s approach. I draw my sword as I hear them come closer. They walk past me. They have a long white cloak covering them. I come up behind them and grab them. I hold my sword against their throat. "Put it down!" She yells. "I''ll put it down when you tell me who you are," I say. She breaks free and hits me in the head with a staff. I collapse. She points the end of the staff at me. The yellow crystal at the end shines brightly. She''s a star elf. Her long white hair is in a ponytail. Her eyes are light blue. One of Zara''s people sneaks up behind her. I grab the elf''s staff and push her out of the way. "Look, I know you don''t trust me, but right now I need you to," I say to her. "Fine," she says. I draw my staff. I fixed it not too long ago. A fairy charges at me. I kick him in the knee making him fall. I then strike him in the head. "Mind telling me your name?" The elf asks me. "Azura, and you?" I say. "I''m Selene," she says. More of Zara''s people emerge. I tap my staff into the ground. It sends out a wave of power that knocks them back and messes up a few trees. "You''re not as powerful as you think you are," Selene says. She shifts into a white panther and leaps at the human in front of her. "It isn''t a competition," I say. I draw my sword. The elf in front of me has a shield. I drive my sword right through it. Selene finishes off the last two. "I trusted you. Now you need to start explaining some things. Who are these people after you?" She says. "Do you live under a rock? Ever heard of Zarnest?" I ask. "No, I''ve never heard of that name. My family is a bit...disconnected. We only step foot inside cities when we need supplies. Otherwise, we just hide out here," she says. "Anyways Zarnest is a powerful wielder of magic. He was dabbling in dark magic and his magic threatened everything in existence. We took him down and his daughter Zara took his place," I explain. "Where are you going?" She asks. "I need to make it to Solius. I''m going to become queen," I say. "Queen? Isn''t Dahlia queen?" She asks. "You really do live under a rock. You haven''t heard that the king and queen were slain?" I say. "What?!" She yells. I walk it of the forest. Solius isn''t too far. "Come on. I''ll explain on the way," I say. As we walk to the city I tell her everything. Faye, Kala, and Lily are waiting outside for me. "Damn, are you okay?" Faye asks. "I''m fine," I say. "Who is she?" Kala asks. "Someone I just met," I say. Someone I don''t trust either. She just shows up out of nowhere and acts like she doesn''t know what''s going on. Something isn''t right about her. Kala brings four horses over. The ride through the city is beautiful. Flowers sprout up all around us. We make it to the palace. Delphine is waiting for us outside. "This way," she says. She points to a guest bedroom. "Azura, why don''t you get cleaned up before the ceremony?" Delphine suggests. I step inside the room. I wipe the scrapes and cuts. On the bed is the dress I wore the day of the party. To think we were celebrating victory right before being thrown back into distress is crazy. I change into the dress. I exit the room. Everyone is standing on the balcony. I join them. "Are you ready?" Delphine asks. "Yes," I reply. She walks to the other end of the balcony and retrieves the crown. It''s white gold with sapphires and amethyst crystals. She puts it on my head. "Uh, guys? We have a bit of a problem," Kala says. I turn to where she''s looking. Zara is coming on the back of a dragon. More follow behind. This is it. We have to defeat her this time. We can''t afford to lose this battle. Chapter 10: The Flames Of War I stand in the center of the city. The residents crowd around me. They want me to inspire them. To send them off to battle with words of wisdom. What do I say to them? "Today we''re going to fight like this is our last day to live because if we fail this will be the last day we live. Let''s fight so we all can see another day. We will destroy them all!" I say. The dragons reach the city. Archers on the roofs of the buildings fire arrows at them. I draw my sword. Some of the dragons land. Zara''s people approach. I jump off the cart I''m standing on. I swing the sword at the elven warrior in front of me. The sword cuts her arm. Selene is behind me. An explosion shakes the ground. We make it through the city fighting anyone who steps in our way. The battle rages on all around us. Zara is coming our way. I run towards her. I stab her in the heart. She just laughs. I step back. She pulls the sword out and tosses it aside like it was nothing. The wound quickly heals. "You''re going to have to try harder than that," she says. Selene shifts into a panther and leaps at her. Zara throws her back. Selene tries to get back up but fails to. Kala runs over to her. She starts to perform a healing spell. How do we kill her? Faye steps in to fight her. They clash weapons. Neither of them lands a hit on the other. Faye dodges each swing carefully. While Faye is distracting her maybe I can attack Zara. I sneak up behind her. I bring my sword down. She dodges. Does she have eyes in the back of her head?The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. Faye yells in pain. Zara managed to cut her in the leg. Kala attacks her. I help Faye up. We need to move, now! Selene shifts back into her human form. She walks ahead of us. Two of the city guards take Faye. "Azura, we need to talk," Selene says. "Now?! We can talk later," I snap at her. "I know how we can defeat her," Selene says. "How?" I ask. "The realm of darkness. It''s where she gets her powers. Her powers are keeping her from dying. We just have to go there and destroy the crystal," "I''ve got a feeling there''s a catch," I say. "We may get stuck or lost there," "Let''s do it. It''s our only option," I say. "How do we get there though?" "Leave that up to me. I''m going to need a quiet place," "The palace is our best option," I reply. "We have to fight our way there," I lead Selene through the city. After a long walk with dozens of fights, we finally make it to the palace. Faye and Kala are already here. "You got any plans? Because she isn''t dying," Kala says. "Yes, we do," I reply. Selene explains everything as fast as she can. "I don''t like this plan, but if it''s our only option I guess I have to deal with it," Kala says. "I can only bring one person with me. Which one of you will do it?" Selene asks. "I will," I say. "No, you won''t. I got it," Kala says "I can do it," Faye chimes in. "I''ve got this. Faye, you''re hurt. Kala, your sister needs you alive. I will take care of this," I say. "Let''s get started," Selene says. She closes her eyes and slows her breathing. A ring of white light starts to form. On the other side is the realm of darkness. Selene steps through. I look back at the others. "Wish us luck," I say. I step through. Who knows what we''ll encounter on the other side? Hopefully, we''ll succeed in our mission. The weight of the realms rests upon us. We are the only ones who can stop this. Chapter 11: The Final Battle I stand in the realm of darkness. The black castle at the end of the road is our destination. Skeletons with flesh hanging off their bones walk by. They are disgusting to look at. Hundreds walk past us. I try my hardest to walk by without getting near them. I hate this place so much. "Let''s hurry this up," I say. We walk towards the castle. She opens the doors. I see the crystal. I can feel the power radiating off of it. I can feel the crystal calling out to me. "What if we don''t destroy it? What if we keep it for ourselves?" Selene asks. "Are you crazy? That thing is slowly destroying the realms," I say. "But imagine the power you could have!" She says. I push her out of the way. She pulls me back. She throws me down and reaches for the crystal. "You didn''t want to help? You just wanted power?" I yell at her. "You should''ve known all along. Why would I help you? Why would I help a stranger? Do you know what it''d be like to have all that power?" Selene says.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. "Move, if you continue to stand in my way I will fight you," I say as I draw my sword. She shifts into a panther. She growls at me. I swing my sword at her. She backs away before lunging at me. She stands over me. An arrow hits her in the neck. The arrow is pink. It''s Kala''s! Selene backs away. Kala helps me to my feet. Selene lays in the corner, bleeding out. I smash the crystal. A white flash blinds me. I wake up with Faye and Delphine standing over me. "Where''s Selene?" Faye asks. "She wasn''t helping us. She just wanted the power from the crystal. I knew we couldn''t trust her," I reply. I can see Zara on the balcony. I stand. It''s time to face her. I unsheathe my sword. I step out onto the balcony. Zara locks eyes with me. This is it. This is the final battle. I must prevail. I plan my next movements carefully. I can''t afford to make mistakes. I''ll let her come to me. "What? Are you too afraid to face me?" She asks. "No, not at all. I''m just planning accordingly," I reply. She rushes towards me. She swings her sword. I block the attack with my sword. "You won''t survive this fight," Zara says. "Don''t count this as a victory so quickly," I reply. I push her back. She circles me. She then charges at me. I slash her arm. Blood drips down to her wrist. "Just because I''m powerless doesn''t mean I''m weak," she snaps at me. She is nervous now. She no longer is immortal. "Keep telling yourself that...even though you know that you''re lying," I feel pain in the back of my knee. An elf kicked me. Zara pulls me to my feet. She pushes me to the edge of the balcony. "Once I''m through with you I''ll kill all of your friends," she says. I try my hardest to push her back. She throws me over the edge. Gaia flies towards me. She catches me before I fall. She glides upwards. Zara is shocked that I survived. I leap off and land on my feet. Kala sneaks up behind her slowly. I just need to distract her until Kala gets into position. "You won''t win this war," I say. Kala readies her arrow. She lets it go. It strikes Zara in the back. She falls to her knees. She wheezes before collapsing. The rest of her people retreat hoping to not face the same fate. I watch over Solius. We''ve won today. This is a grand victory. Chapter 12: Finishing What We鈥檝e Started I stand under the tree. The multicolored leaves are so colorful this time of year. In the winter the colors are faded, but in the summer the leaves are bright and vibrant. "We have only got two more stops before this is over," Kala tells us. "I''m going to miss this. Adventuring between the realms,"Faye says. Today we''re looking for the weapons that are infused with dark magic. Hopefully, it goes better than last time. Kala enters the cave. I hear heavy breathing deep in the cave. We ready our weapons. I approach the source of the sound. It''s a humanoid figure with dark grey skin and spikes along its back. It stares at us with glowing red eyes. "It''s a Cavedweller," Kala whispers. "The name is a bit ridiculous," I say. "Well, I didn''t name it! It''s extremely hostile when approached," Kala says. "We have to approach it," Faye says.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. Kala shoots an arrow at it. The arrow hits the creature in the shoulder. It charges at me. I strike it in the chest with my staff. It holds its chest. The creature is having an incredibly hard time breathing now. Faye delivers the fatal blow by stabbing it through the heart. At the end of the cave is a spear made of wood. A black crystal is notched into the wood. Faye picks it up. She tries her hardest to snap it in half. She fails miserably. "I thought you were supposed to be a strong warrior," Kala says. "Oh shut up! Do you want to try this?" Faye snaps at her. I take the spear. "Watch how it''s done," I say. I focus all my energy on destroying it. Magic flows out of my fingers and into the weapon. The spear crumbles in my hands. "You don''t have to be such a showoff," Faye grumbles. "Come on, we got one stop left," Kala says obviously annoyed at the both of us. We head to the elven realm. Faye looks over the map. She turns left. She leads us through the forest. A cave with vines and roots entwined around the opening is our last stop. Faye goes in first then me then Kala. A sword is hung on the wall. I perform the same spell I did on the spear. We head back to the human realm. I stand in front of my cottage. I can''t believe I''m leaving it behind. So many memories were made here. Now that I have the palace there is no reason to stay here. I fly to Solius. I take one last look at the mountain. I''ll miss living there, but I need to move on. This realm needs me. Solius needs me. I land outside the city. I make my way to the castle on horseback. The others meet me outside. I look around. The city gains more residents and visitors each day. It now has a popular marketplace and trading center. It''s much more prosperous than it was years ago. I can see myself living a nice, quiet life here. Faye, Kala, and Lily are staying here with me. They will check in on their realms of course. I''m glad they decided to reside here. Faye and Kala stand next to me. We all watch the setting sun. The three of us have protected the realms. We have succeeded in our mission.