Chapter 1 – Arrival in a New Land
A tranquil forest stretched out for a good five yards, overpopulated by tall trees, overgrown vines and exuberant, colorful flowers. A rabbit hopped nonchalantly through the brush and frogs croaked from a pond near the lower left side. The tranquility abruptly ended however by two beams of light beaming down what appear to be blonde fraternal twins of a slight age gap. The younger twin sister crash landed in the heart of the forest, Sol Forest, while the older twin brother made his landing near the frog infested pond. Sprawled out on the ground the blonde seventeen year old boy groggily awoke to find his surroundings a bit queer. With a small groan he asked, “Ow...what the hell happen? There was a blinding flash as I was walking home from school and now I'm in a forest. Thing is...am I still on Earth?”
It was then the young blonde girl awoke to find herself surrounded by Orcs and Goblins. “Huh? Oh crap! I'm not well equipped to fight you guys! Please don't kill me! Save me Nii-Nii!” the youngster shouted as a goblin swung its club at her. Nimbly grabbing her attacker's weapon she then started hanging on for dear life as the goblin thought of bashing her against its comrades. Meanwhile “Nii-Nii” heard his sister's cry for help, picked up a fallen, firm tree branched and ran towards the source of the cry while saying, “Hold on Mishiguu! Big Bro Lyon is on his way!” As Lyon made his way towards his sister Mishiguu another beam of light blasted a yard north from her, carrying with it a brown haired boy.
He however landed in a stream and was aware of his collision with the body of water. “Damn it...that hurt like a b***h! Anyways...where am I?” He asked as he wearily rose to his feet dripping wet. It was then he flashed a orange glow and stood there astounded. Checking himself the sixteen year old chuckled and said, “Oh that's right...I, Zenos Twill, am not Earthen but a Grandorian Theimbor. I'm a shape shifter and can virtually transform into anything my heart desires.” Zenos' ears then perked up and swiftly jumped out of the way of a flying tomahawk. From the trees were three Tengus, bird folk who kill anyone who trespass into their territory. Zenos wasn't intimidated and quickly transformed his arms into flailing maces while saying, “This forest shall be stained with not my blood but yours! Have at thee! Bloody Bludgeon!” he then started mercilessly beating the Tengus, blood splattering everywhere.
While Lyon was busy attending to his sister's plight and Zenos was fending off Tengus two more people arrived in Sol Forest just like the others with the exception that the last two beams carrying people crashed into each other and dropped off the travelers into the core of Sol Forest with Mishiguu. Lyon had just arrived to the scene to see his sister still holding onto the goblin's club. The only difference was of course the newcomers were picking themselves up off the ground. “Huh? Who else is here? People I know?” Lyon asked as he dodged a club swing and answered it by smacking the goblin with his tree branch. When the smoke from the light beams cleared a long haired auburn elven girl and a scrawny blacked haired seventeen year old boy appeared, amazed by their surroundings.
Lyon recognized the blacked haired boy as his friend and shouted, “Bastion Loomer! Don't just stand there buddy! Do something!” He then dodged another club swing and continued to bludgeon the monsters with the tree branch. It was then the elven girl's hands started to resonate with a red glow and she told Lyon, “Damn it Lyon! How could you be so cruel to not recognized me in my true form!” She then begun hurling fireballs at the orcs and goblins, incinerating them to ashes and one stray fireball hitting Mishiguu but overall saving her. Confused by this Lyon turned to the elven girl and asked in an alarmed tone, “Wait a minute elf girl! What do you mean by that? Are you saying you're Elizabeth Cecilia?!” As Bastion is examining his surroundings the elven girl walked over to Lyon, flicked him on the forehead and replied, “Of course I'm Elizabeth Cecilia! I just never told you I was really a elf!”
Rubbing his forehead Lyon mumble and said, “Oh well I guess that makes sense. Anyways thanks for saving my sister for me Elizabeth.” He then remembered Mishiguu and turned to see her sprawled on the ground in a daze muttering, “Penguins live in Antarctica and need huggles to sleep with the couch!” Chuckling and walking over to her Lyon cooed in her ear, “Mishiguu dear? Are you okay? You really had an endeavor and as your Nii-Nii I'm concerned about my lovely little sister.” Bastion then walked over and patted Lyon's shoulder while telling him, “She'll be fine ya lovesick creep. Beside we need to grab our bearings and find out where the hell are we!” Looking over at the smoldering remains of the orcs and goblins, then the elven Elizabeth it then dawned on Lyon that they weren't on Earth anymore.
“You're right Bastion, dead right. We don't have orcs or goblins on Earth except in video games and fairy tales so let's leave this forest and find out where exactly we're at.” Lyon said as he picked up Mishiguu and placed her on Bastion's back. Mumbling under his breathe Bastion took a firm hold on the youngster and the three friends began walking towards the northern end of Sol Forest, the same area where Zenos was to be exact. With the tree branch slung over his shoulder Lyon thought to himself, “Well if Bastion and Elizabeth are here I wonder if my buddy Zenos Twill is as well.” It was then Zenos came hurdling through the trees and collided with Elizabeth. In a fit of rage Elizabeth pushed the Theimbor off and yelled, “Get the hell off me you a**!”
From the sea of tree an ogre emerged and let out a mighty snarl. Focusing her energy Elizabeth looked at the ogre and said, “You're going down big, ugly and stupid! Fiery Inferno!” A hexagram then formed underneath the ogre and flames engulfed the beast. Assuming the ogre was dead Lyon jumped for joy too early and was punched into a nearby tree, dropping the tree branch. Wearily rising to his feet Zenos clutched his throbbing shoulder and said, “It won't be so easy killing this cretin I’m afraid. It's from Helheim, the Spirit Realm, and nether swords or magic will harm it...yet.” Bastion looked at Zenos and asked, “Just what do you mean by that Zenos?” Sighing and transforming his hands into iron gauntlets emitting purple energy Zenos retorted, “What I mean Bastion is that it's a spiritual being and can't be harmed until it's pulled from the spirit realm and into ours.”
The chestnut haired boy then rushed in and jabbed the ogre square in the stomach, dodging any punches from the beast along the way. The ogre then shimmered with a purple light and snarled once more. “Lyon my friend! The ogre is vulnerable now! Let's kill it together!” Zenos told him as he transformed into a claymore and stuck into the ground. Getting to his feet Lyon nodded his head and gripped the handle of his Theimbor friend saying, “Alright Zenos buddy we'll rip this hideous numbskull a new one! Take this you freak of nature! Skull Splitter!” He then ran up to the ogre and slammed his blade down on the beast's skull. The ogre roared in pain, blood spurting from the wound and spattering on the ground. For a finishing blow Elizabeth cast another Fiery Inferno spell and Lyon scampered away before the hellfire consumed the ogre.
With the nuisance dead Elizabeth walked over to Lyon and kicked him in the shin yelling, “Oh so you know that your friend Zenos isn't an Earthen human but you didn't bother to asked me if I was different when we were on Earth! The freaking nerve of you! Let's just hurry on out of this stupid forest and get to Azula Village!” She then stomped further ahead leaving Lyon hopping in pain and Bastion in a laughing fit. Mishiguu also gave her two cents by muttering, “The Sand Castle of Despair is only dissed because she can't sing the Song of Healing like Hubert the Lion.” Zenos stayed as a claymore but also added, “Lyon your sister is delirious from what I don't know because I was attending to my own problems.”
Lyon sighed and replied, “It's alright Zenos she only got hit by a weak Fireball spell and her over imaginative mind is melding with the shock of being hit with magic. By the way Bastion...” he then walked to the hyena, socked him in the shoulder and said, “Don't think I didn't understand your stupid incest joke about me and Mishiguu! I do love her but not like that you b*****d! Anyways we have to follow Elizabeth or else we might get lost in the sea of trees.” Lyon then slung Zenos over his shoulder and ran after his elf friend. Letting out a sigh Bastion fixed his grip on Mishiguu and followed the angry Lyon who in turn was following a furious Elizabeth.
As the five friends reached the northern end of Sol Forest they were bum-rushed by a pack of fenrirs and two went after Bastion and Mishiguu. “Damn it stay away from them you cretins!” Lyon shout as he slashed both fenrirs three times each. The last strike was enough to slice both beasts in half and Elizabeth started digging in her pockets for something while still dodging the other three fenrirs. Lyon slashed another fenrir's head off and the elven girl finally found what she was looking for which was a necklace with a large golden hexagon emblem. Elizabeth then tossed it at Lyon and told him, “Here Lyon catch! It already has a Sky, Sea and Divine Gem embedded into it! You can use Air, Water and Holy magic so you're not stuck with only attacking with Zenos in his claymore form!”
Catching the Magic Emblem Lyon placed it around his neck and answered, “Thanks Elizabeth I owe ya one! Just one thing though...is this thing powered by my imagination? I mean I know the gems give me access to the specific elements but I talking about certain Holy, Air and Water spells!” Blasting a fenrir away with a fireball Elizabeth replied, “That's pretty much it Lyon. Any Fire or Thunder spell you imagine with become a reality with the Magic Emblem.” Understanding what was said Lyon snickered, jammed his claymore into the ground and shouted, “Grand Judgement!” Beams of light then erupted from the ground and eradicated the remaining two fenrirs. Trembling with fear Bastion fell on his backside and whimpered, dropping Mishiguu in the process.
Zenos then returned to his human form and glowed orange once more. Surprised by this Lyon asked, “Hey Zenos buddy did you learn a new form or something?” Chuckling and cracking his knuckles Zenos retorted, “Indeed I have. Thanks to you using Holy magic when I was in my claymore form I can now transform into divine creatures like an Afyl or a Separ.” Puzzled by the word Bastion asked, “What the bleepity bloop is a Separ or Afyl?!” Giggling Elizabeth told Bastion, “An Earthen human such as yourself wouldn't know about such beings. You may know about creatures such as the Undines, Harpies and even Reapers but to know of celestial beings such as the Separs, Afyls and even the Nadsirs is beyond your knowledge. Separs are angels with four wings and ascended to a higher plane of existence while being nigh invincible. Being in the presence of one would spell your death. Afyls are angels who transcended to an even higher plane, are prideful warriors who always look for worthy opponents to duel with and have six wings.”
Stomping his foot Lyon said, “Right that's fine and dandy but I just remember we need to find a safe haven for now and also find out where we are!” As Bastion picked Mishiguu back up Elizabeth told Lyon, “I was going to tell you this eventually when we were on Earth but I'm an Grandorian Elf and that's where we are right...Grandoris, the Realm of Magic.” Placing a hand on Lyon's shoulder Zenos said, “I may have told you I was a Theimbor but I didn't tell you where exactly I came from and that's where we are, just like Elizabeth said.” Astonished to hear this Lyon asked, “Seriously? So Bastion, Mishiguu and I are the only humans from Earth?” Nodding their heads the blonde twin replied, “Wow...just wow. I only assumed the Zenos was the last of an ancient Earthen race or something. Anyways you said something about a village called Azula?”
Placing her hands on her hips Elizabeth answered, “That's right and I'm sure Zenos would prefer to fight future battles without you wielding him so there's an armory where you can buy a weapon for yourself, Bastion and Mishiguu.” Lyon nodded his head in agreement and the five children walked through the remainders of Sol Forest. As they left Sol Forest Mishiguu heard a voice within her consciousness saying, “Young Mishiguu...bring...your brother...and his friends...to Azula Village...” the fourteen year old girl then groggily awoke from her daze and said to her brother, “Nii-Nii? My God you actually save me from those monsters? Thanks Nii-Nii...” She then jumped off Bastion's back, ran up to Lyon and latched onto his right arm.
Mishiguu then looked up at her Nii-Nii with a puppy dog pout and asked, “Can we go to Azula Village? Someone or something is calling us to go there. If you do I'll give you a kiss.” Blushing at thought of his sister that he himself admits is adorable and attractive knelt down in front of her and replied, “I'd love that Mishiguu it's just if it's the type of kiss I'm thinking of mom and dad will be upset if they hear about it.” Giggling mischievously Mishiguu gave her Nii-Nii a wink and told Lyon, “I know and it'll be our dirty little secret.” Blushing a deep red Lyon was speechless while Zenos said, “Well whether or not you keep your promise of giving your brother a kiss we were heading to Azula Village anyways to buy you, Lyon and Bastion weapons and armor for the journey back to Earth.”
After having another laugh at his friend's expense Bastion asked Mishiguu, “So what exactly is your imaginary friend's reason behind us going to Azula Village anyways?” Stomping the ground Mishiguu yelled, “It wasn't an imaginary friend Bastion! I stopped having imaginary friends when I was ten. Although the voice didn't exactly explain. It just said for us to go to the village. The voice however did sound very...godly.” Intrigued by this Lyon asked, “Godly you say? That's very interesting. What would a foreign god want with us? I'm Roman Catholic anyways and only believe in one true god, God Himself.” Rubbing his chin Zenos told Lyon, “Well we Grandorians refer him as Ezamuel, named after the prophets Ezekiel and Samuel. That doesn't matter though because it's getting late and there's an inn in Azula Village where we can rest for the night.”
Realizing it was getting dark Lyon's stomach grumbled and he place one hand on his stomach saying, “Ugh you're right Zenos, dead right. Not to mention I haven't eaten anything since lunch at school. Alright here's the plan. Zenos, you take Mishiguu and Bastion to go get weapons and armor while Elizabeth and I rent rooms for us at the inn. Regarding the equipment any one handed and/or double handed sword will do for me and the best armor they have as long as it isn't clunky and doesn't hinders our movement on and off the battlefield.” Agreeing to the plan Lyon and friends rushed towards Azula Village with Lyon thinking, “Who exactly spoke to Mishiguu and what do they have in store for us? I can't help but think this is gonna be a long and treacherous journey!”
