Chapter 1: Who are You?

Long ago a seed was planted in the Realm of Time; a realm that bond all others in place. As the seed took root a poison began to spread through the realm the poison fed on the realms power and grow stronger. This poison was beyond any other; it could not be sense or be seen by any one or thing, but it left a mark that appeared as a roots shadow. In turn the seed grew into an unholy tree which leaves were pure blood. These leaves when fell from the tree became demons and devils that could travel the realms. Out of all the realms only one was infected; the realm of the living; their reason for coming is still unknown.

Slowly armies grow in the realm of the living and a plan to shatter the governments and higher powers was set into place. The plan was to spill the blood of the next heir to the higher power. The first to be killed was a high Elf priestess; her death was the starting point of nightmarish war. The priestess was killed as she meditated in the grand temple; fully aware of here coming death she called upon the sacred elements; Earth, Wind, Fire, Water, and Spirit to send their greatest Guardians to help stop the darkness before anymore blood could be shed.

Hearing her plead they sent their greatest warriors and mages to the living realm to fight the threat while their guardians searched for the tree in the Realm of Time. To this day the war that happened long ago is still unknown and as the happening of the tree is still a mystery. All's that is known is that to protect the realms from darkness the Guardians gave up their bodies and took the form of five stones that were given to five clans. Now darkness is returning and the Guardians have yet to return, if they don't return then may the gods and goddess have mercy on our souls.

The night was cold in DragonTane forest, the chill cut through a wanders cloak like daggers. At his side was a frost white wolf that had just shook off a coat of snow on to the wander that didn't seem to notice. The wander just tightened his hood to keep the wind from biting at his wolf ears. They walked on with out a not really noticing anything until they came to a notice board in the forest; it was odd because these are usually on a trail leading from a town.

"What this?" The Wander asked out loud as he brushed away the snow on the board or that's what it looked like. After a few brushes he noticed several Elvin runes on a stone wall.

"Damn, let's go." The Wander said to the wolf and walked on; the notice board or what looked like a notice board was really part of an old tribe marker that used to live in these woods.

"Sen'Gale can you smell anything?" The Wander asked the wolf. Sen'Gale sniffed the air for a bit but in the end he shook his head.

"Nothing... Hate this bloody forest we should have stayed at the temple in Vindea Chome." The wander told the wolf in a pissed off voice.

"You said lets go through DragonTane forest, I told you there wasn't a town anywhere in this forest!" Sen'Gale snapped baring his fangs.

"Don't bare your fangs at me and besides you hated Vindea Chome." The Wander snapped back baring his fangs.

"That priestess wouldn't leave me alone! She followed me everywhere she thinks I'm a holy wolf because I can talk!" Sen'Gale yelled then started walking.

"Can you blame her?" The Wander snickered.

"Yes! Now can we please change the subject, Windra, I have an image of her face stuck in my head." Sen'Gale snapped.

The Windra just laughed.

Sen'Gale just glared at Windra as they walked on through the snow. After hours of walking Windra become extremely bored and having a conversion with Sen'Gale seemed to be the best cure.

"Gale?" Windra asked

"Yeah." Sen'Gale replied.

"Why do you hate human?" Windra asked as he watched an heir speed by.

"Humans don't understand me, they fear what they don't believe, and they think I'm some kind of demon. Hah, like they even know what a true demon looks like, but I don't know I just do. You must know how I feel being a half-demon and all." Sen'Gale explained.

"I don't care, truth be told I don't understand any of the races in this word. Tho I have heard of a tribe of Elves who live in the forest with no cities, towns, they understand an animal feels, etc." Windra told Sen'Gale.

"Sounds like any Elvin tribe, hell it sounds like any old Elvin city. What makes these so special?" Sen'Gale asked sounding annoyed.

"I don't know it's just these elves are different some how... I read about them in a scroll and it wasn't every detail so give me a break." Windra replied now annoyed.

Sen'Gale just sighed but stopped.

"What's wrong?" Windra asked.

"Perfume and horses? Windra you can't tell me you don't smell it or hear it you have as keened senses as I do." Sen'Gale said as he sniffed the air more and perked his ears up.

"Windra snow cloak now!" Sen'Gale yelled shortly after he asked Windra sound the sounds and smell.

"What?" Windra asked but quickly chanted; he then he clapped his hands together and a cover of snow covered them.

"Shhh and watch." Sen'Gale whispered to Windra as they watched the area from beneath the cover.

After a few moments of silence a high pitch scream filled the woods causing snow to fall from branches and Windra to wail in pain.

"Damn it! What the hell! I think my ears are bleeding!" Windra whimpered as he rugged his ears.

"Agh you think I heard it any softer, Windra where are you going?" Sen'Gale cried as he shook his head.

"Find out what happened and give that woman a piece of my mind!" Windra replied now very pissed.

"Some wolf you are." Sen'Gale said under his breath.

"Half-wolf demon!" Windra snapped.

Meanwhile..."Where is it?" A Dark being snapped as it grabbed a young female human with gold hair by her collar.

"I don't have it, I swear!" The woman replied as she tried to pull away but only dug here nails into the beings arms.

"Lies! Now where is it?!" Another Dark being asked but this one held a dagger at her throat.

"Put her down now because if you don't she will scream and at this range by ears will bleed so put her down now!" Windra snapped as he walked up to from the shadows.

"Who are you, ordering us around?" The beings snapped at Windra.

"Dark Elves? What are those, you chased her while riding shadow of horses?" Windra asked now puzzled.

"Wolf ears? You're a half demon." The Elf with the dagger replied seeing the faint outline of wolf ears under Windra hood.

"Wow Dark Elves aren't as stupid as I thought, anyway put her down or else." Windra laughed.

"Or what?" They both asked.

"Too late, look behind you." Windra laughed even harder at the sight behind them. Sen'Gale had killed the shadows by biting deep into their necks, oddly there was no blood; they just vanished in a puff.

"You'll pay, but we'll deal with you later. Now tell us where it is!" The elves yelled then turn to the woman.

"I threw it into the gateway so no one you ever use it!" The woman yelled back as he dug her nails deeper.

"You whore! Kill her." The Elf holding her yelled and threw her to the ground.

Just as the elves were pulling out their swords they stopped when they hear another blade sliding against its sheath. Windra had a fire burning in his ocean blue eye's, he couldn't stand the sight of a person being killed, to make him madder the elves had a dark aura and the woman was defense else. In the blink of an eye Windra stood behind the elf with the dagger. His sword of the Northern Winds out and his arm stretched; blood dripped from it as he stood.

A second later the elf in front of Windra coughed up blood and fell over dead into the snow, blood still dripping from his mouth. "I gave you fare warning now leave or end up like your friend." Windra growled as he turned his head to the last elf; fangs shining in the light of the ending day.

"What are you?!" The Elf yelled in a terrified voice as he walked away.

"Your worst nightmare, now leave!" Windra yelled in a demonic voice, but just as Dark Elf was about to leave he fell over dead. Windra and Sen'Gale quickly looked over to see the woman smiling with triumph, she had a throwing dagger in her hand but put it but into a pouch on her belt when she was sure he was dead.

"Who are you?" Windra asked in his normal voice as he washed his blade down with a spell then sheathed it.

"I should be asking you that question, a half-demon huh?" The woman asked as she helped herself to her feet and brush off her dress; it was gold just like her hair but cover it gems and designs of all kinds.

"You know your way around a throwing dagger." Sen'Gale said as he examined her carefully.

"What the hell!" The woman barked with wide eyes at Sen'Gale.

"Mystical wolf... anyway who are you?" Windra told her.

"In big trouble, umm would be mind helping me to a temple not far from here, I'll pay you." The woman asked almost begging.

"We don't need money." Sen'Gale told her.

"Please Thorn will love to meet you, please I need your help." The woman said now begging.

"Sen'Gale she needs us and besides we nothing else to do." Windra sighed and glanced over at Sen.

"Fine lead the way." Sen'Gale said finally giving into this woman.

"By the way who is this Thorn?" Windra asked as they began to walk onwards.

"His full name is Cho'Thorn'La, but he prefers to be called Thorn and it's easier. He's well... you have to meet him to know." The woman told them with a smile.

"Who are you really? No normal woman can throw like that." Sen'Gale asked eyeing her carefully.

"I'm a protector or was one of a very special gem, that's why those elves where after me. I'll explain everything when we reach the temple." The woman replied.

"By the why my name Cingen'Loveth, it's a pleasure." The women continued.

"Same here." Windra and Sen'Gale replied with a smile; trying their best to hide their wolf fangs.

After that they stay quiet for the most of the way to the temple, Windra really didn't want to get to know this women she was ordinary, she was in a very expensive dress yet she knew how to kill in silence. She said she threw something into a gateway and was its protector.

"Excuse but may I ask who you are and what kind of sword that is.?" Cingen'Loveth asked pointing to a metal end of a handle that was pointing out from Windra's cloak.

"I'm just a wander and as for my sword it's called the sword of the Northern Winds. I know little about it and I've had it since I was born." Windra replied not even looking at Cingen'Loveth eyeing his blade.

"Ah ok." Cingen'Loveth said and turned her gaze away from the blade. "Who is this demon and why does he wield a sword like that?" She thought to herself. She decided it would be best not to ask anymore questions about Windra or his wolf but she just had to know more about him.

An hour of walking had past and still no temple in sight and the night was growing. This struck fear in the woman, she had heard stories about demon's that kill at night and she was traveling with one. With every step she wished the temple would come into view and save her from this demon; sadly no such luck. With barely choices left she moved her hand to her belt pouch and pulled a dagger into her sleeve.

"Put that dagger away we're not going to kill you." Sen'Gale said seeing Cingen'Loveth reach for another dagger. She froze when she heard Sen'Gale; she moved her gaze to see that wolf had been watching her.

"Ah it's not that I... ummm." Cingen'Loveth mumble lost for words.

"Where is the temple? You couldn't have run this far from those elves?" Sen'Gale asked see that Windra was lost in thought again.

"Ah... Over there that's the temples fire circle it's always alight at night." Cingen'Loveth said then cheered when she saw a crimson glow from behind some tree to the east. She then set off running towards the glow.

"Windra, this way!" Sen'Gale shouted see that Windra was still walking north.

"What oh." Windra said breaking out of thought.

"Cingen'Loveth thank the goddess you're ok, where's the gem." Another woman asked as she came running up to Cingen'Loveth.

"It's gone from this world forever I threw it into the gateway." Cingen'Loveth explained completely unaware that she left Windra and Sen'Gale.

"A gem huh?" Sen'Gale asked as Windra and he appeared behind Cingen.

"Sen'Gale?" The other woman asked.

"Oh crap not you, why are you here? Hey get away from me I'm not a holy beast." Sen'Gale said then ran off the woman at his heels.

"Damn it Windra kill her!" Sen'Gale snapped, but Windra was back in deep thought. "Windra stay in focus and get this woman off me!" Sen'Gale snapped again this time being tackled by the woman.

"Hehe I'm not a woman yet I'm only 37 years old." The woman laughed.

"What!?" Sen'Gale growled trying to get away.

"She an elf she is young in Elvin years." Windra said coming to his senses.

"Aaa Windra, look, thanks for saving me but the truth is I'm a protector or was a protector of a holy gem that his temple was entrusted with. Those elves were bounty hunter after the gem but the only way to stop them was to throw into a gateway to... anyway I think you should be going I'm in great trouble for destroying the gem." Cingen'Loveth said with a sigh then walked into the temple main hall.

At a closer look the temple was a grand church with a giant courtyard that was sealed in by two story tall stone walls. In the center of the courtyard there is a bowl made of pure magic that holds a grand fire.

"Umm Windra get this elf of me!" Sen'Gale snapped again.

"Oh come on just a bit more I love your fur oh and I'm a guy by the way and I'm not a elf I'm a half elf, half cat demon. Oh and I lied about age... I don't know my age." The cat demon laughed.

Sen'Gale and Windra fell silent and motionless. The cat demon just laughed and rubbed his cheeks against Sen'Gale's fur.

"Wait Windra how do you know he's an elf... He has bloody cat ears and a tail!" Sen'Gale cried still unable to break free.

"Smell him, he has Elvin blood, you can smell it on him" Windra said as he walked to get a closer look at the cat demon.

"Who are you and why are you here?" Windra asked as he walked over to the cat demon and lifted him off Sen'Gale by his collar."

"A collar? Ok who is you and why are you here?" Windra asked as he examined the cat demon.

He was around five foot, slim, emerald eyes, crimson colored cat ears and tail. He had an elf face and body, his hair was short and rust colored; dressed in a green robe and a tan robe on top of that, with a red quarter moon on the chest.

"Well umm I kind... umm... I saw you in Vindea Chome fighting and well I want you to teach me magic and how to fight." The demon mumbled then broke out begging Windra to take him on as a mentor.

"You've been following us?" Sen'Gale asked eyeing the demon carefully.

"Well yes I..." He began but was interrupted by Windra.

"I don't teach pets and I'm a wander, a life you don't want." Windra replied as he headed for the temple grand door.

"Pmf he's no ordinary half demon but I need a mentor." The cat demon thought to himself has he sighed and headed into the temple behind Sen'Gale.

The main part of the temple was a grand hall; pillars that are covered in moss and vines divide the hall into three rows. At the every end of the temple was a some what large pond that was filled with all kinds of koi. A small stone bride stretched over an island in the pond where it appeared to be a place of meditation but only room for one.

"That's Thorn's mediation island he's very spiritual." A voice said from behind Windra; it was Cingen'Loveth she was now dressed in a sliver robe with the symbol of the Dryad on her sleeves and chest.

"Best you leave, Thorn isn't found of demons and there's no telling what he going to do when he finds me." Cingen'Loveth whimpered; she was almost in tears.