Act I

  In a ruined street, of a crumbling overgrown city of marble.

  A group of four shield wielding youths ran for their lives.

  Each one could be distinguished by their weapons.

  As two of them held swords, one a spear and the last a mace.

  “Keep running!”

  I yelled out, as we continued to rush forward.

  My friend Darius bled as he was carried by Elira and Celestia.

  The three were running ahead of me, as I protected our rear.

  Tud* Tud* Without even looking I turned around and raised my shield as two fist size stones were thrown at us.

  KCK* CKC* KCK* Laughter, I can see them two ugly short, upright lizards.

  They laughed as they kept throwing rocks using their crude slings made out of vines and looted cloth.

  “Curse-ed Cowards!”

  Darius yelled back at the lizards, as they threw another volley.

  Tud* tud* I didn’t say anything as I shielded us again, but I agree with Darius.

  These little bastards are cowards, sly cowards.

  “There! Let’s make our stand there!”

  Celestia yelled as she pointed at the ruins of a house with nothing but its foundation and some walls left.

  “Go!”

  We ran and then hid ourselves behind an intact wall, Darius sat with his shield and mace ready.

  His thigh was still bleeding, with pieces of wood still inside.

  I and the other girls did the same.

  My spear and shield were out while they had their swords and shields ready.

  KKKC* CKC* KCC* KKRC* A large group of those little cowardly bastards were gathering.

  “I can hear 8 of them.”

  Darius whispered, while I was still counting them using their steps and screeching language.

  “Curse it. . . I’ll draw them out, you two get Darius out of here.”

  Elira, one of our fencers, whispered.

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  Why? I’m the troop head, I should be the one. . .

  I looked at my friend's pale green eyes, only to see how serious she was.

  “Dumbass, no! Elira don’t you dare. . .”

  Darius whispered harshly with greeted teeth.

  But even before Darius could finish, Elira smiled and wink at us before running off.

  “Come here you little lizards!”

  “No!”

  Darius almost rushed after her, yet before he could I and Celestia held him back.

  Both of us pinned him down, and covered his mouth.

  As the Lizards whooped in joy as they chased after Elira.

  “A brave fool. . .”

  Celestia spoke, her voice filled with sadness.

  I didn’t say anything, as we watched the horde pass.

  After they were gone, I gave Celestia a nod and helped her carry Darius away.

  “Curse it, why. . . why. . . you stupid sister. . . why. . .”

  Darius cursed and questioned as he cried.

  He wasn’t the only one, as everything was wet and blurred as we walked.

  Act II

  “Huh, am I in Italy?"

  I said to myself, as I saw ruins of stone, marble and overgrown vines and grass.

  It was like I’m in some kind of classical painting, something about fallen civilizations.

  “Dere yma, chi cachau bach cynffonog!”

  Immediately my head turned towards the yelling, that sounded human. . .

  Is that Italian?

  “What is that mad girl doing?”

  I was confused, as I saw a running foreign girl.

  She looked like she’s in college.

  I wonder why she was smiling like that, it’s as if she’s running away from. . .

  “Are those Kubolts?”

  They were short humanoid lizards with branches for clubs and rope slings.

  The slinger was throwing rocks at the girl, which she dodged by running like a twisting river.

  “Girl! HERE! Quickly!”

  Without hesitation I yelled at the girl.

  Luckily it took her attention and those of the Kubolts as they looked at me.

  She didn’t hesitate as she quickly changed her course.

  I pulled out my book and turned to a page that I didn’t think I'd be using this early on.

  Danger. . . The word whispered in my ears, as the girl and horde came closer.

  The girl neared and behind her was a small horde of hungry looking Kubolts.

  “Behind me!”

  I yelled at her, motioning to my back, as she looked me in the eyes before nodding.

  “Lesser spirit of fire, Torch of the temple, Brightest friend of Lazir!”

  The girl reached me, as I finished my chant as a bronze torch appeared in my hand.

  It didn’t stop the Kubolts as they continued their hungry charge.

  Which made me smile as I can finally test the spell on willing subjects.

  “Flashbang.”

  DDINNNGGG* The sound of a shrieking bell echoed as a blinding flaming light emanated from the torch.

  KKRR* RRKKK* CCRKK* RUN* SHAMAN* SHAMAN* SHAMAN*

  The horde of ten Kubolts turn tail and run at the sight of the bright explosion of light and flames.

  They were in such panic that they left their clubs and slings.

  “Huh, at the end there, I think I understood what they were saying.”

  I said as I smiled, watching those little monsters run away in fear.

  Then I looked at the torch, it was still brightly shining.

  “Use me more! Use me more!”

  I can hear her bell-like voice in my head.

  Temptation took me at that moment, but then realized I had a girl cowering behind me.

  “I’ll summon you again, don’t worry. This place seems to be dangerous enough to have you with me all the time.”

  I placated the torch as she vibrated happily in my hand, before I unsummoned her.

  After dealing with Little Light I turned around.

  To see the girl shaking in fear as she turned herself into a ball while covering her ears.

  Her long elf-like. . .

  “Are you an elf?”

  I asked the girl, as I helped her up, dusting off her thick skirted. . .

  “Gambinson?”

  She was wearing a medieval gambinson.

  It had holes and a lot of rips but it’s definitely a thick padded jacket with a skirt that reached below her knees.

  I looked at her eyes to see they were glassy and unfocused, her long ears bleeding.

  “Oh. . . oh no. . .”

  Quickly I sat her down as I realized how much damage I did.

  “Why? Wasn’t she behind me?”

  I said to myself as I realized, the Flashbang spell probably recognized everything as an enemy.

  Looking at the book in my hands a thought came to me.

  “I haven’t made any pacts with anything that can heal yet. . .”

  I felt my hands covering my face as I thought of what to do.

  Pray to Hestia, use the flame heart spell.

  “The flame heart spell! I almost forgot about that.”

  I looked at my book, Hestia wasn’t inside it.

  I’ll add her later and the spells I can use while channeling her.

  “Lady of flames, The mother of the Sword, The Protector of the hearth.”

  I started my chant as I held my beating heart, the thing connecting me to her.

  “My heart is with you, my flame is for you, hear me my Lady. I ask for your flames, I ask for the embrace of your Hearth.”

  Golden orange flames bursted on my hands as I pressed it on the older girl’s head.

  As I clutched her shoulder making sure she kept standing up.

  Quickly the flame of Hestia, seeped into her.

  Her sweat, and blood bursted into flames.

  Her eyes turned bright, as they shone like jades focusing on my own eyes.

  The bleeding stopped as I used the sleeve of my white robes.

  To clean off the blood that has yet to burn away.

  “I am a traveler, my name is Lazir. What's your name?”

  I asked the girl as she looked up at me, as I realized I was atleast a few feet taller than her.

  “Alla i ddim dy ddeall di. Ydych chi’n offeiriad?”

  I smiled at her, as I laughed, as I didn’t understand anything she had said.

  I kept laughing as I bet she didn’t understand anything I said either.

  She looked at me, her eyes were a mix of concern and fear as she forced a smile.

  It was a familiar look, I would because a lot of my friends used to give it to me.

  “Ha ha ha! No, I’m not insane. . . Just happy.”