The Tale of Sky Blue

[Tuinor]

(This is just an idea I'm coming up with, so I'll be posting each new piece as I write them. I hope whoever reads this will enjoy it .)

Not all tales of Faerie are of giddy princesses and happilly-ever-afters. One should not forget that with every light there is a shadow, and for good to exist there must be an evil. This story, the tale of Sky Blue, is one such shadow. You say you never heard of Sky Blue? It is no surprise. By far his sister is more famous, and it is possible that you've heard of her. Hers is the light of this shadow, and whilst it is celebrated as a tale of hope and happiness, his is one of toil and sorrow. It begins with death and new life; a fair enough exchange by some measures. His mother died giving birth to twins: a daughter and a son. The two were separated at birth; the maiden was sent to a kingdom in the fair south, but the boy was taken to the cruel northern lands. At that time the world beyond the borders of civilization was beset by many evils, and the very act of survival was a challenge only the hardiest overcame. Yet the boy was strong, and under the hidden watch of the powers that had brought him into the wild he grew quickly. It was at the age of seventeen years that he began to feel a tugging at his heart to go south and explore the lands unknown to him. At nineteen, he found the call to be irrisistible, and at last he heeded his heart though he knew not what awaited him. After many days of lonely wandering he came to the kingdom that lay at the world's center, to the place of his birth; though, he knew not that he came thence. It was there that this tale truly begins.

[Tuinor]

Sky stared in total amazement at the colossal city that stood before him. Many thoughts and memories passed through his mind as he watched the many strange peoples passing in and out of the city's gates. He recalled the words of the Master, the one who had taught him how to fight and surviv.
"Beware of cities, Sky," he had said, "for you cannot always trust those who dwell within them. If they smile at you, frown. If they frown at you, look them in the eye and let the fire of your soul tell them you are not afraid. But don't worry; most will ignore you, just as you shall them..."
Sky began to miss the Master, the man who had taught him everything he knew. He did not know where he had gone, only that one day the Master had told him he could no longer help him; that Sky needed to live by his own strength, but before he had vanished he promised the boy he would see him again.
"Maybe," thought Sky, "just maybe the Master is there." This he pondered as he debated whether or not to enter the bustling city before him. Then, as if in answer to his own thought, Sky saw the robed and hooded figure of a man who must have been the Master standing at the top of a large tower in the center of town. Sky almost laughed in joy at seeing the long lost Master, but before he could call out the figure leaped from its high perch down into the busy city streets.
"That's just like him!" Sky thought with a laugh as he sprinted off towards the gate.

[Tuinor]

Meanwhile, in a dark, unknown room somewhere in the city...

"You cannot know this for sure!" shouted Sa'if from under his drooping hood. Though his voice betrayed a sense of aggitation, his still figure under his dark, draping cloak revealed nothing more. Likewise were the other three in that room cloaked: in dark green garments they were that draped and hung about their figures, hiding as much of their characteristics as possible from undesired onlookers; though, none could possibly be found in that most secret of chambers. Still, none of the four there would risk the slightest chance of being spotted, thus cloaked they sat in counsil.
"I believe I would recognize this, my own handiwork," Aevor replied quietly.
"But it is far too soon," said Aisha as she adjusted her hood.
"I know it is ahead of schedule," Aevor said, "but it is prepared, I know it."
"I doubt it," said Sa'if. "It is hardly matured."
"Yet a test," interjected Jahud, suddenly speaking up from his dark corner at last, "is definitely in order. If it should be found by them , how would we know if it could survive the encounter? We must test it to see if it needs protecting. You know how important it is to our plans," Jahud warned.
"It is too young," Sa'if remarked, "the test would destroy it."
"That's not true!" shouted Aevor, suddenly losing his demeanor and revealing much of his emotions to his peers. He sat back sourly in his chair, "He has been trained."
"Yes," replied Jahud in his melodic voice, telling Aevor that he had indeed read much from what he had said, "we are aware of his training, Aevor. But let us not forget, it is still a child. Do we expect one so young to pass the test?"
"No," declared Sa'if, "it is not possible! No one so young has ever passed the test. And let us not forget that this one is..."
"You're forgetting," interrupted Aisha with a playful tone, "how special this one is." The other three glared at her from beneath their cloaks. She was, after all, the youngest of the group.
"Yes," Jahud mused, "the one of prophecy. What secret powers does the boy hold?"
"Nothing we are unaware of," Sa'if replied, "if you recall, it was one among us who fashioned the spell."
"But already an anomaly has occured," said Aisha, "there were never supposed to be two; we may need both if we are to harness the spell's full potential."
"Do you ever wonder what may happen if the boy learns to harness the power within him?" Jahud asked, his gaze fixed heavily upon Aevor.
"The boy is mortal," Sa'if retorted, "if he tried, which I daresay he shall not know how, the spell would destroy him."
"But you forget," warned Jahud, "he has had training in the deep ways."
Aevor sat very still as the room got quiet. At last he stirred after a long moment and said, "He is ready. He will pass your test."
Sa'if prepare to object, but Jahud quickly interjected, "Very well, Aevor. But I cannot trust you to deal with this matter thoroughly, though second-oldest you may be. I leave this task, rather, to the youngest of our ranks; our dear Aisha." The girl shifted uncomfortably. "... and thus I make this test a double-edged sword. Aisha, if you succeed you shall be fully accepted into our fold. This is your test as well as his: do not fail me."
Aisha stood and bowed low, as did the others in her company. Then, starting with Jahud, the four departed one by one. As each left the dimly illuminated chamber, Aisha felt herself becoming the last to leave. When she was finally alone, she took a deep breath and started towards the exit. As she left she, however, she failed to notice the shadowed form of Aevor tailing her from a distance.

[Acalewia]

*sits on edge of seat* I'm really liking this so far.

[Tuinor]

(Thanks! It's nice to have an audience!)

Sky wondered at the amazing sights all around him as he walked through the city streets. It was getting late in the evening, but that was fine with him. After all, he had spent his life in the wilderness, and the night bothered him not. After many long minutes of wandering about, however, Sky had become totally lost within the great labrynth of stone. It wasn't long after his sudden revelation of his lost state that another relization struck him. He had noted the feeling not long after he had entered the city, but had dismissed it as a nervous thought... until now. He had suddenly cought sight of a slender figure darting through the shadows of the alley ways. Instinct had told him that he was being followed, sight had shown him what and where, no he had to decide whether to try and lose his tracker, or to confront it head-on. The answer seemed only too obvious; Sky had never been one to run from anything.
He waited until he came to the next openning into the alleys before darting suddenly towards his unkown follower. Surprisingly, just as he came into the alley he unexpectedly slammed into a young woman coming out from one of the dark pathways between the tall ston structures of the city. Down the both of them went and in a moment's time Sky found himself looking up at the girl he'd run into. He'd seen her fall, and for a moment he pondered as to how she'd been able to recover so quickly. Quickly he dismissed this, however, as he suddenly remembered his follower. Jumping to his feet, he glanced about him, quickly surveying the area to make sure he was in no danger. Seeing no one, he turned to look upon the girl he had collided with.
"Are you okay?" she asked when she saw his attention come upon her. Even as he focused on her his mind recalled the words of the Master from long ago.
"Don't always trust a pretty face, Sky," he had instructed. "Be cautious. There are some who may use looks to distract or weaken you. Do not let that happen. You must learn to weigh the intentions of everyone that you meet and learn to spend your trust accordingly."
"Yes, but sir," a much younger Sky had asked, "How shall I know who is 'pretty'?"
The Master had laughed at the boy's question and replied, "Trust me, in a few years you'll know."
As Sky gazed up at the girl's fair features, her dark brown hair, and her deep brown eyes, he realized what the Master had meant.
"Oh, uh...Hi?" Sky said, his face getting strangely hot.

[Tuinor]

As Aisha walked down the lonely back alley, she pondered on how she should perform the task given to her. She knew for certain that Jahud, the oldest and founding member of their order, would not accept anything less than complete success. After all, the order had not survived for so long by allowing room for failure. Making her task al the more difficult was that she was forced to create a test that followed the Three Standards set down by the ancient ones long ago. Those rules fumbled about in her head as she walked the empty street.
“The First Standard: a Trial, when given by one of the Order, must be original and must test those subject to it in areas of Strength, Wit, and Will. In this way are tested those who must put others through Trial.”
This, the First Standard, had been one of the reasons why the Order had never been discovered, for it required any who where to give a test to construct it without any tie to a previous test. This had kept any who would trace the group from finding any sort of lead to discover them by. However, that did not make designing a test any easier for Aisha, who had not had any experience in doing so before.
“The Second Standard: a Trial, when given by one of the Order, must always allow for the chance to pass or fail. In this way are given those who are tried a means of escape.”
This troubled Aisha, for she, being a warrior at heart, did not like the idea of letting anyone “escape” her; although she new this was the essence of the test. If no one was given the chance to escape, well…
“The Third Standard: a Trial, when given by one of the Order, must give death as the outcome of failure for those subject to it. In this way are our ways hidden from outsiders.”
She continued to ponder, not knowing how she should proceed, when all of a sudden she saw a young man, not much older than eighteen years of men, walking down the main street of the city. He wore blue colored garments over much of his lightly tanned skin. His face had sharp features with crystal blue eyes that were slightly covered by medium length hair darker than the blackest night. That was him! The boy she had been sent to test! She ducked around the corner; her sudden movements causing her dark hood to fall back revealing her long, silver hair, deep blue eyes, and long, pointed ears.

[Mari]

Great story so far Tuinor! At first I thought you might be going a little bit too fast, but you've explained things well enough to keep up. Looking forward to the next update!

[Tuinor]

After their release, Aevor and Aisha had simply begun a winding, wandering path that never seemed to end; at least, it seemed so to their "unseen" watchers. Of course, they knew that they were being watched. It was to be expected. Still, it didn't help that their detainment had slowed them down severely, and that made Aevor all the more nervous. He continuously repeated to Aisha in her native tongue, "Mwyr hyavil ine Antul fwu'atil!" We must leave ere nightfall!
His fears, becoming all the more evident, did nothing to help comfort Aisha, who was slowly allowing her feelings to take root again in her mind. She had pushed them back in order to remain calm when Sky had been taken prisoner, but now they were returning, and she began to feel like she would fall into despair. "Why?" she thought to herself, "Why is he so important to me now, when I would have killed him just yesterday without a second thought? Was some spell cast over me? Did Aevor have anything to do with this?"

But her thoughts were interrupted by Aevor, who suddenly seemed to have pulled himself together somehow.
"Aisha," said he, but he spoke in her native tongue still, "Mwyr hyavil tine Sky ahl Snow tayathil."
Aisha, we must now obtain both Sky and Snow.
"Yi, Aevor," Aisha replied, "Iyt Dhauwle"
Yes, Aevor, I know.
"Good," Aevor said, returning to the common tongue of man, "Go, then, and see to our brother. I shall go to see our sister. Meet me back at the city square ere' nightfall."
Aisha, understanding who he meant, could only nodd at the command, and was about to part ways with the man, but before she could she felt the grasp of his hand on her shoulder. Turning back, she saw into his eyes, and noted a deep sense of urgency within them.
"Aisha, Mwyr hyavil ine Antul fwu'atil!" but to this he added in a whisper, "If we are caught by the night within the walls of this city, there's a chance we all shall die. Be quick about this!"
As he said this, a chill gripped her, and the wind suddenly seemed to pick up speed. With a sudden gust, Aevor released her and darted off towards the castle. Aisha, though, knew what she had to do. Turning her head, she cast a fey glance down a single dark alleyway, where she knew lurked their "unseen" watchers. Like a cat stalking her prey, she began to make her way to their hiding place, and, reaching beneath her robes, she took in her grasp a long, curved knife. They would bring back no report to their superiors this night.

[Tuinor]

A high pitched screech woke Sa'if as he slept within the hollow of his tree. His eyes opened wide in a flash as the horrible noise ripped its way into his mind. He wrapped his hands around his ears, desperately trying to drive away the antagonizing sound from them, though the action did him no avail.
"Curse all things! Where is this coming from?" He thought, though the noise even made his thoughts sound faint and distant. He forced his eyes shut and focused all his thought into understanding what may be happening. After a moment, he realized just what was occuring. For the first time in ages he was hearing the Forest once again, but the Forest was frightened. No, not frightened, terrified. As if all the trees were ablaze the forest cried out in terror and confusion.
"Why?" Sa'if wondered. As if in responsed, the sound changed from an incomprehensible screech to a single drawn out word. Sa'if's eyes opened wide in fear when he translated the language of the trees into his own and in his own personal horror he silently mouthed to himself, "They are here!"

He found the wind had grown violent when he sorely stepped out from his hollow into the failing daylight of the afternoon, but he did not wait long enough to hear the faint voice of Jahud riding on the air. He had not the time. In his mind he thought frantically to himself, "I must complete my mission! I cannot remain here tonight! THEY are HERE!"

[Tuinor]

He did not know what kind of tool he was becoming; all Sky knew as he sat alone in the darkness of his cell was that he was becoming a tool, and one of Aevor’s design. Even as he sat there awaiting the elves he knew would come for him, he continued to ponder the mysterious “results” of the “training” that Aevor had allegedly given him in his youth. He wanted to know what had been done to him, what he was capable of, and what he was supposed to do with his hidden abilities. He sought an answer to the question: “What kind of tool?” What did these elves need him for? Even if he did exhibit strength and speed that far outmatched most humans, it was nothing he thought that they could not imitate. Why, then, did they require him if any one of them could match him?
He could find no answers, and the only conclusion he could come to was that he must speak with Aevor. Thus anxiously he continued to wait…
It was a sudden thud that awoke Sky from the accidental sleep he had fallen into. Jumping up to his feet, he stared out into the darkness outside his cell. Noticing a fleeting figure amidst the shadows he directed all of his focus on it until it drew near to his cell and into view, revealing slender Aisha both hooded and cloaked so that even Sky had trouble seeing the features of her face.
“Sky?” she asked, though she easily could tell it was him.
“You should not speak so loud,” Sky whispered, “there might be other guards that will hear you.”
“I’ve handled the guards,” Aisha stated coldly. “No one in this structure will ever know that I was here.”
A look of shock flickered across Sky’s eyes for an instant, but faded as a look of grim understanding filling his face. “Are they dead, then?”
His words fell on Aisha’s conscience like a slap in the face. Her words sounded hollow in response, “They still live…”
“Then they are lucky,” Sky said.
“I don’t love killing, you know,” Aisha said, allowing her sadness to fill her voice.
“Can you say that you never wanted to kill?” Sky asked her.
“I never wanted to kill you!” Aisha said. “I never wanted to even hurt you!”
“But you have wanted to kill before?” Sky persisted.
“You would not understand!” Aisha said, a new sense of pain feeling her voice.
Sky found he could not reply. What did she mean? What could he not understand? Aisha was such a mystery. Finding that he had nothing more to say, he pushed by her and began making his way out of the dungeon.
“Let’s just go,” Sky said without looking back, “We don’t have time for this now.”
“You are right,” Aisha said, “we must meet with Aevor.”
“Yes, of course,” Sky said with a renewed sense of focus. Aevor; the name filled his consciousness, drew all his focus to the one whom it belongs. Aevor; it was he who held all the answers to his question. Aevor; the key to everything that was happening.

[Tuinor]

Snow watched the sun from a couch in her quarters as it began to set. She gazed through the window in the west, trying desperately determine if the sunset would be that same final sunset she had seen time and time again in her dreams. So focused and determined was she in her “duty” that she did not notice the presence of another being waiting for her when she had entered the room. Now that hidden being began to slowly approach her from behind. She did not notice this, however, so focused was she on the possible threat of the final sunset tat she did not perceive the threat that now stood right behind her.
Then, suddenly, her eyes recognized a pattern on the horizon that had haunted her dreams night after night. A look of horror filled her, and she whipped around to go warn whom she might. However, just as she turned around she was halted by the sudden appearance of a tall figure cloaked in dark robes.
“You!?” she gasped, recognizing it as the figure from her dreams.
The man was silent beneath his shrouding robes for a moment, as if he were contemplating her reaction to him. Then, after a brief analysis it said in a deep, masculine voice, “It is time.”
“Then, you know…?” she asked, despite the warnings her dreams had given her of such a man.
“We have long observed the time of the coming darkness,” spoke the figure from beneath his hood, “and it is because of this we have been watching over you from the outside, awaiting this very hour when your gift is needed most.”
“My… gift?” Snow asked. “Oh! You mean the dreams?”
“No, my dear,” said the man, “your dreams are extremely curious; however, they are but a slight glimmer of the full power that resides within you: a power that must now be awoken.”
Snow took a step back. “Awoken?” she asked warily.
The man in the hood stood still as stone, as though he knew there was no escape. “Yes, awoken. I will not lie to you; the process may be painful, even fatal, but it is necessary.”
“Fatal?” she asked as she took another step back, “how can it be necessary?”
“In order that the darkness be lifted,” said he.
“But what is this power?” she asked. “Why do you so desperately require it?”
“There is no time to explain,” he said. “We must leave, before the sun sets!”
“I will have an answer!” demanded Snow.
“There is no time!” the man countered, raising his voice to a formidable command. So stern was his vice that her foot froze in mid-step as she tried to back away further. Then, as sudden as his voice had changed, it became soft and gentle. “Snow, you must trust me.”
“Your voice… I know it somehow,” she said after a moment. Taking a step forward, she added, “have I known you before?”
At this, the man fidgeted uncomfortably, “We don’t have time for answers, Snow. Come with me, and you shall have them, in time.”
“Snow unconsciously took another step forward. The man stretched out his hand, open in invitation towards her, and she almost reached for him when suddenly a crash and burst of wind shattered her peace and her window. She glanced back in horror at another figure clothed in the same dark robes as her intruder. It reached out to take her, and a sudden darkness gripped her. She screamed and saw no more.

[Pitchike12]

Wow! They are excellent story so far. Hope to see you post somemore.