The Start

Tents sat in various places around the seas edge. Each within distance of the rest. The mercenary army spread itself along the shores so that it covered most of the western coast.

Ciall watched the line of fires disappear out of her sight, illuminating the dark ominous waters.

"You know what's below the lake?" Said a soft honey like voice.

Cial turned around to see Idris standing eerily still.

"Water, shipwrecks, sand, muck." Ciall replied not letting the women with black holes for eyes scare her.

"Yes, but there's something else," she said walking toward the waves letting the water splash on her dress.

"This water posses magic beyond our comprehension."

"That would explain the shifters wanting to come here." Ciall said shortly looking away from the sea and Idris.

Suddenly the world shook beneath their feet. Idris fell forward soaking her dress and hair. She snapped her gaze toward Ciall and the mountains. Ciall pulled the compass from her pocket, the arrow was now pointed slightly north of her. She started running towards it leaving Idris on her hands and knees in the water.

"Finally, they are here." Idris spoke into the black water. Rising from her place she turned toward one of her circles and gingerly walked to the center.

"Creature of the world below, my master, the brining of the night, the owner of the darkness. Withhold your deal with me, so that your servant can serve you once more." As the last word left her lips the circle below her feet came to life. It was such a deep shade of blue that if the moon was any brighter it would not appear to glow. It barely lit her pale skin and cast sickly shadows on her bony jaw. Following it the other circles began to glow.

The earth shook again, nearly knocking the nearly skeletal Idris to the ground. Here eyes now filled with the soft deep blue glow.

Again the earth shook, this time so violently that the sea lashed out at the land as if asking it to be quiet. A deep rumble filled the night air and the sand below their feet started to move. A chorus of yells and screams filled the night air as the fires succeeded to earth bellow. Boulders rose from earth, knocking the ice stones from their places hidden in the sand. Some swallowed by the earth itself.

Like the jagged teeth of a wolf the boulders decorated the beach. Then with another cry from the earth the Boulders were again eaten by the sand. Each returning to the earth, bring men, ice stones and supplies to a sandy tomb. Yet the glowing rings remained untouched by the chaos around them.

The sand now sat, unbothered by the scene before. Those survived were mostly witches and wizards. Anyone would had some control of earth magic.

Ciall was one of the few still standing. Her breathing heavy as she gripped the compass tightly in her hand.

In the dim moonlight a figure could be seen moving toward the sea. A massive man who towered over the men and woman left standing.

"Fire at the giant!" Ciall screamed and the night sky was lit up by magic. Each aimed toward the giant in the distance.

Ciall glanced down at the compass, it was not pointed towards the giant.

'Is it a trick?' She thought to herself scanning the darkness around her. Then she saw it, a small red fox dashing towards the Sea of Darkness.

'There is no way I can catch her in time.' She thought to herself sprinting at the direction of the fox.

Bam, with a dull thud the fox looked like it hit a wall. Yet there seemed to be nothing there. Ciall stopped for a moment confused then started again towards her.

Confused Sionna scratched at the air in front of her. Closing her eyes she tried to use air magic to get through with no success. The barrier was strong. Then she heard footsteps, turning she saw a woman with a sword coming at her. Turning around she sprinted back into the grass hoping to buy her time to come up with a new strategy.

She felt the woman close to her so she spun around. Opening her mouth and exposing her canines she sucked in a deep breath and blew. Sending Ciall tumbling several feet backwards knocking her on her back.

When she recovered the fox was no where to be seen.

Sionna heard a frustrated yell from Ciall as she dashed through tall leafy grass.

'Caith, Caith, can you hear me?' She thought hoping she was close enough that he could hear her thoughts.

'Yes,' he said his voice was quiet almost a whisper.

'There is some sort of barrier preventing me from getting to the ocean.' She said rushing to where she left her clothes.

'I can sense it, it's death magic. Powerful kind as well.' He replied through his thoughts.

'How do I break it?' Sionna asked transforming and getting dressed quickly.

'There are circles in the sand break them.' He replied.

'And you turning the whole beach inside out didn't do that?'

'No it's conflicting forms of magic. Additionally I am not close by so it's harder to use really strong earth magic.' He replied as Sionna ran towards Yaatra.

She could see him from a good distance away, a tornado of air filled with various colors of magic.

'Duck Sionnach,' she heard in her head and she instantly dropped to the ground.

The air spit the magic back out at sandy beach, some blasts hitting the invisible barrier and bounced off. Sionna stood up to see Yaatra his feet wide apart one hand forward the other back.

"All who flees now will be spared!" His voice shook the earth bellow the men's feet. Many started running some attempted to retreat into the sea with no success.

"I do not fear you monster!" Screamed a woman baring nothing but a sword. Ciall's normally cold eyes alive with anger and hatred.

"Ciall, why surrender your life to riches. You think you know love because someone held you. That is not love Ciall, you have the ability to have love. Abandon your quest for gold and search the world for something more valuable." Yaatra called out to the small goblin woman.

"You know nothing about me!" She screamed charging at the giant.