My Story : )

So you all know that I've been writing a fantasy story, so I decided to do a promo vid for it and here it is... comment what you think.

The Spell of the Winterwolf Chapter 5

Chapter 5 - Calmar Learns from Maethorion

He woke up in soft blankets that felt like clouds under his head. His head swam with questions. He lay down and looked up at the intricate ceiling. The palace was the most beautiful and ghostly place he had ever seen. It was so big it seemed like a maze that led to the very sea itself. He remembered his meeting with Maethorion the night before. He wondered what Maethorion had decided. Had he done the right things? It had taken months to get here… was he going to have to turn around and go back? Calmar stared at his hand; another proof to the deep, evil, magic that loomed over the Yameaus. He could hear birds flying overhead. He got up and went over to the sparkling mirror on the wall. It was made out of a million pieces of glass all held together… by what? He stared at his reflection. His clothes were no longer dirty or torn. He looked down at his boots that now all brown without a speck of sand. It must be the magic, he thought. He went to the window and looked out over the land. He could only see the forest... but how beautiful to finally be able to look down on it instead of being buried in it. A song began to play in his head. A song that his mother had sang to him so long ago. He couldn’t remember all the words but it was so beautiful. Something felt strange here and yet somewhat familiar… but how could it? He had never been here before. There was so much he would never understand. He looked down at his bag lying on the ground and picked it up. A single piece of paper was sticking up inside. He pulled it gently out and began to read it.

This darkness is slowly going to kill us all. You are the only one that can stop it. you are brave valiant and there is no fear within your heart. You must ask Maethorin to help us. Do not be afraid of the magic that lies heavily on this land. And do not be a coward as others have. Your Father.

He felt valiant and he read the note over again. He was actually doing something. Who was it that had been a coward? Something came back to his mind. It was still shrouded in a darkness, the darkness that comes from time. He was playing in a field of soft, green grass. There was someone else playing with him, a small boy. But then his memory failed. Everything that he had called home would be his again. He felt a hot tear fall down his cheek. Could it ever be the same though? If Maethorion would help, then maybe all those lost souls would come back. The sun shone down on the land and Calmar smiled… for the first time since he left. The song began to play in his head again. Something about being held when everything else is falling, something about being loved when there is no love in the world around you. He began to cry. Happy tears mingled with sorrowful ones and formed rivers on his cheek. This is what it feels like to be loved, he thought. He closed his eyes and felt the breeze in his hair and felt it ripple through his skin. His hand was still burning but all he could feel was warmth and icicles. He turned from the window. It was too much to look at.

“Calmar, come with me,” Maethorion said.
“Yes your majesty.”  Suddenly Calmar found himself riding on the back of a beautiful steed with more power than he had known existed in these noble creatures. They galloped through forest and meadow, through desert and river. They came to a small gathering of trees by the river and Maethorion whistled. He looked up and saw many great birds. They were beautiful as they soared over the land, above the darkness and evil of the world.  
“Where are we going?” Calmar asked.
“Wait.” Maethorion said. Calmar looked down. They were crossing the desert that had taken him a days to cross. He could see their shadow in the sand. They were across it already. They flew over the forest and Calmar saw the spot where he had fought the Wolves.
“See, Calmar. Without you, this forest would stay this way for millions of years. Never seeing any light, the creatures would die and leave it behind.” Calmar shivered.
“So you are going to help us?” Silence. They turned abruptly and flew west. They flew for some time, feeling the breeze and the sunshine together in silence. Then the sun became black and the clouds gathered mysteriously behind it.
“What’s happening?”
“It is the magic Calmar.” Calmar looked down at dark craggy mountains jutting into the sky with naked trees barely  able to stand on the edge of them. The dirt was pure black and black smoke rose out of the ground. Several threads of lighting threatened to break the mountains in half. Ancient ruins peeked through the darkness.
“What is this place?” Calmar asked.
“This is Tarole’s home. His evil animals lurk here and plan their next move.” It became so cold that Calmar could see his breath in smoke.  Who would want to serve such an evil person? Nothing was happy or bright here and nothing was right either. Everything they did was for themselves.
“We have come here because one day you will be a king and you must know what evil lies behind the world you have always known. Evil will always be here. But you must know how to overcome it. Do not underestimate its power and never let it take over like your father has. You must try to be a better king than your father.” Maethorion explained.
“But my father is a good king.”
“Your father was a good king to his people, but he was a coward and fearful to face the evil and protect his people. You however, are brave and kind. You must learn how to be both kind and brave together. Your father was kind but lacked courage.” A silence hovered in the air. The horses flapped their wings slowly and started to circle south. Calmar looked down and saw the Southern Falls… his home. He could see Aviri the puff-dragon up on his hill. Calmar wanted to call down to them and tell them that he was alive. My father, he thought, is down there somewhere waiting for me. I will promise to be a better king and to be brave and courageous, he told himself.
They began to fly back to Maethorion’s tower. The sun came back out and shone kindly down on them.
“The wind twirls around my hair and makes golden strings to decorate to decorate it with. The sun sparkles through my eyes and even the fog wraps itself around my body.” Calmar remembered his mother’s words again. What was it like when she was my age? He thought. Was the world beautiful? Where was she now? Was she beyond the Great Sea? No, he couldn’t think about that. Remember? No one thought that the King of the West had anything to do for us. They turned and headed for the Eastern Mountains. Calmar had never seen them before but he knew that all the people there had the spell on them. He stared down at the dark and scary mountains. He could see vague forms wandering around. Then he saw some of them fighting each other. They raised their swords against them and began to spill blood all over the black ground. Calmar cringed. So that’s what it did to them. They had become blood-hungry maniacs. He couldn’t believe that some of his friends were down there wandering around. Could things ever be the same again? He asked himself. Everything seemed to different and dark.
“Calmar. You need more courage. I know what you are thinking. It’s starting to make you feel hopeless. You must start thinking about the light and the hope that is above this dark world. Things can happen, you just have to help. The Great Terrain needs you, but you will have to have valor and courage and love. It takes courage to make a knight, but love to make a king.” Maethorion talked softly… like the wind in the quiet tree branches.
Calmar closed his eyes and began to think. He thought of everything and nothing at the same time. He thought of quiet pastures with the sun making them shine like gold. He thought about winters of snow and beautiful ice droplets. Then he thought about the dark magic and the evil things that lurked about; how the world had changed so much… and he wanted to fix it forever. So he could hear laughter again and happy tears. It had been too long since they had cried tears of rejoicing. Could anything bring that back?
“Calmar… you need to stop thinking about the darkness everywhere. We will help, and it will be good again. You will hear laughter and see happy tears making rivers down your cheeks. Don’t cry now Calmar, your journey is just beginning.” Calmar put his hand on his cheek and felt warm water dripping down. It was so beautiful to think of the world he used to know. Yes, he whispered, I won’t let you down father… we can hear laughter again. It seemed liked hours just circling around the sky and feeling the breeze rip through his hair. He closed his eyes and dreamed.

The Spell of the Winterwolf Chapter 4

Chapter 4 – An army is formed

Tarole stirred within his giant wings. It was dark and cold by the fire. He smiled slyly… the spell hadn’t broken yet. His icy claws wrapped around a stick and threw it into the fire and watched as it lapped up the stick and yawned for more. He looked up into the dark sky. There was nothing… nothing at all. He stretched his human arms and began to wake up. He looked around the little camp-site.

“What has happened?” he shouted. The trees looked doubtfully down at the small gathering. If they could talk like they could before the Evil Spirit came, they could have told the truth. But now they had to stand back and watch the human reputation get stained. Tarole and Garion stared at the gory sight. The Wolf was lying on his back, still looking up at the stars that had once lit up for him. His stomach that had been splintered was now a bloody mass and his black blood was spread for feet around him. His hands were turned a pale yellow and his feet were burned slightly from the camp-fire. It started to reek horrendously.
“Are you not going to tell me what has happened?” Tarole asked. An eerie silence echoed through the forest and nothing could be heard except the heavy breathing of the trees. A distant voice began to sing in Tarole’s head. Something about life ending and being left helplessly to die. It was so still and yet the voice was so loud. Then it began to say something about faults and spells and evil things that killed people.  He shook his head and looked intensely at Garion. “Um… your majesty! It must have been the humans that came into camp last night and tried to take revenge on the poor suffering soul. We should avenge them!” Garion gambled on. “Why would they come this close to me? Shouldn’t they be afraid of me? To come this close would only mean foolishness on their part!”
“But the humans are foolish people, sir.”
“Yes, I have to agree with you there for once.” He kicked the Wolf to make sure he was really dead. I’m not sure why for he had every breath of life gone from his formless body. “Those humans aren’t content just to live; they have to get back at everyone in their path! Why don’t they just worry about surviving?” Garion hadn’t seen Tarole so worried about someone’s death. Had this deep magic affected him so much that he was beginning to see death as it was? “Surely it was just their nature. Nonetheless, we should go and kill every one of them!” he said.
“Garion! How could you?! You let them just come into the camp and kill the last Wolf! The last gruesome Wolf! Do you really sleep that deep? Huh? Have you no brains? If you did, I would wring every one of them and throw you to the Evil Spirit!” he went over and clawed Garion until he screamed to even the trees to help. They stood as still as a statue. “I thought you relied on me!” Garion screamed. “Yes Garion! I relied on you and now I don’t! I have a good mind to end that miserable life of yours!” Tarole pulled out his claws and gnawed at Garion until every last exhaling of his breath was done. He laid there, a lifeless creature to be used no more. Silence entered the woods once more. Tarole was alone with blood dripping from his claws. He turned around and sat by the fire and tried to warm his bones. The fire was cold as winter and hot as a volcano. He shivered up tears and began to wipe them quickly from his hairy face. “I must avenge them by myself.” He looked down by his feet. There was a sliver of light shining meticulously. “NO!” he screamed. “It must not end!” and threw himself down on the ground and screeched. If he were going to keep the spell forever, he would have to start now. It must be done, he thought.

So, he set out alone, walking in his own darkness toward the Southern Falls; the home of the many creatures, including the humans. He trudged through mud, leaves, blood, tears, everything that he had made, he was now walking through. He was far from the dark, murky, mysterious caves in the Western Hills that he and all his evil creatures lurked until they had news of some death in the forest. He felt so out in the open here without any form of protection. For weeks he trudged and flew through the woods. One cold, dark day like all the rest, he stopped to take a rest at the bottom of a tree. It was so cold that his claws froze to anything they touched. He scraped his face hoping for some way to keep it warm. It started to rain. He looked up into the dark sky. His wings grew wet and began to leak through to his scaly skin. Suddenly hideous creatures began to crawl out of the dark spaces that hid their horrendous bodies. He sat and watched them. One creature came out of hole in a rock. It was close to four feet tall and was nothing but bones and long fingers. It seemed as if its fingers could reach right over to him. It had claw-like feet and a scaly head that was twice the size of his body. He came out of the hole and began washing his dirty body. The rain fell right off his skin and made dirty puddles on the ground. For several minutes he just stood there and stared into the rain and then crawled back into the rock as quickly as he had come. Tarole shivered and wondered how many of these kind of creatures were in the woods. The rain fell on him and made him burn as if he was in a volcanic mountain. The rain fell close to his fingers and made a shape in the dirt… it looked vaguely of the shape of a great bird. One that was so big it seemed as tall as the trees themselves. Then it just dissolved. Tarole looked ahead and saw a dragon looking creature coming toward him. It looked small for a dragon. “Why are you here?” it said. “I was heading for the Southern Falls,” Tarole answered. “You are the great Tarole that rules this forest aren’t you?”
“Well, yes I am.”
“It isn’t safe here.”
“Why not?”
“Because the humans want to kill you! Don’t you realize that if they kill you, the spell will be broken!?”
“I’m not as strong as I used to be… I lost all my helpers here and haven’t been able to call any from the Great Caves yet. But I suppose there are some here that might want to help me.” Tarole said thoughtfully.
“We would be willing Your Majesty … just one thing though,”
“What is that?”
“If we help you, you have to make us into who we were before the Evil Spirit came. We were happy then and now, well, none of us wants to go anywhere because we look too terrifying!”
“I will think on that. You must get as many as you can together now! We have no time to waste. We have to get the blood of a human… and I don’t care what we have to do to get it!!!”
“Yes your majesty!”

After days of preparing Tarole finally had the army he wanted. Giants, Centaurs, Elves, Dragons, Vampires, and even the scared Kobalos. Tarole looked at the army and sighed. If only Garion had been here to see this. Let’s just hope that these don’t have to same death as he, Tarole thought.  They were ready. Ready to slay the first human they got their bloody hands on.  

The Spell of the Winterwolf Chapter 3

This is the 3rd chapter of my story : ) Enjoy!

Chapter 3 – Calmar’s discovery

Calmar walked quickly through the woods. He searched the path for any sign of where the wolves had gone. Darkness had become his veil and he no longer feared death or pain. His arm was bleeding badly now but nothing was going to stop him. His strong figure stumbled through brush and thorns, not turning away from the darkest parts of the forest. He wandered the woods with nothing to bind him; he was free from the taunting evil of Tarole. Suddenly he came to the edge of the forest and stood looking at the vast desert that lay before him. Courage welled up in him and he began the journey, once again estranged from the world that he knew. He watched the stars at night and tracked his way during the day, each time bringing him closer to Maethorion. He was alone in a world of his own. His cape became his bed and darkness seized him in another world. After days of bitter heat and sandy wind he finally reached the other side of the desert; a victor once again. He turned resolutely to the great hills. Calmar brushed the hair out of his face and started walking. He thought of the words that his mother wrote before she died. His father had saved them so that one day Calmar could read them.

“The wind twirls around my hair and makes golden strings to decorate it with. The sun sparkles through my eyes and even the fog wraps itself around my body. Rivers come down my cheeks and clouds gather in my eyes. Mountains peak through my hands. Everything is shining so radiantly and I am ready now… ready to leave it behind for you, my son. Yes, but take care that it does not take you away before you are ready.”

The dust gathered on his boots and the plain stretched out like a forsaken soul hoping for someone to come to it. The mournful trees were bowed low in anguish…. Just waiting for the final wind that would blow them to death. His heart hammered in his temples. As he got closer the clouds rolled forbiddingly overhead. The sun suddenly hid itself as if to say that it was too hard to look. He advanced slowly marking now and again his path. His journey was just beginning.
He began to crawl blindly toward the light that emanated from it. Sweat fell like rain from his dark brow and clouds enveloped him. He had always wanted to be a part of the magic, a part in saving his people. Who was the King of the West? There was such secrecy about him… as if there was some deep magic that Lithônion had, that no one wanted a part of.
His foot slipped on a wet rock. He went sliding down many feet before he could stop. His head was bleeding and his hands were torn, the skin was peeling off. He looked down at his shattered cloak. After a whole day of climbing, hanging on the edge of a precipice, and dangling even on the edge of death, Calmar IV reached his final destination.
He stood, stunned by the terrifying and beautiful sight. He was here! He knelt down in the lush grass and buried his face in the turf. All his worries from the last weeks were shattering. His face radiated with warmth, not the kind like in the desert-like plain he had just come from… it was the beautiful, cool, refreshing warmth that makes someone shiver amidst a fire.
He stood up and looked around questioningly. How old is this place? He asked aloud. It was a beautiful building, so intricately made with statues all around. It seemed to be a relic of some past event or king. The sun reflected off the marble pavement and the turrets stood tall against the sky. Something burned his hand and he quickly pulled it back from the wall. It was burning a bright yellow and orange like that of a fire in the night. The pain went away and yet his hand still seeped with the bright fire. He picked up his cloak that he had thrown down. Where to go from here?
“Why have you come? You look very tired.  You come from beyond the Damarion Woods don’t you?” Calmar looked up and saw a man standing close to him. He was young, tall and fair and looked very noble, yet very fierce.
“Yes, I do.”
“Lle naa belegohtar. And what would a man such as yourself want here?”
“I have come to seek help from Maethorion. He is the wisest of mortals on in Yameaus. He knows much of what goes on. I need protection from an evil foe.”
“Maethorion is very wise. But there are things that even he does not know. He has gained much honor from the Battle of the Ages, but,” he paused, “He is not the wisest of men on earth.”
Calmar fingered the parchment. “You speak of Lithônion.”
“Yes, I do. There are things that are altogether hidden from his eyes, and secrets that he does not know. But, he will do what he can. I see that you have fought the wolves on your way here.” The man continued.
“How did you know that?”
“Because when someone that has seen or touched those evil creatures and then touches part of Maethorion’s abode, his hand will turn fiery. It is nothing that you have done. You may still proceed however.” The man smiled graciously and showed the way down a long winding hall. There were beautiful pictures of lush and green places. It reminded him of the Southern Falls before the spell had come. An artful rug adorned the floor and felt soft on his feet. Their footfalls echoed in the halls and everything seemed silent. Suddenly the man drew up and turned about.
“We have come to his room,” he pointed to a door that seemed mysterious and eerie. The man opened the door and Calmar stepped through. It was lit by several lamps that burned quietly, snapping once and again. Someone stood at the window looking out over the lands. His hand lay immovable on the window sill and a chill wind blew through the room. Papers were scattered about it and an ink well sat on the table. When the man turned around he was pale but his eyes were a vibrant blue that seemed to light his face. His long white robe tossed with the wind. Calmar couldn’t tell exactly how old he was, he seemed so young, as if untouched by time.
“I know, Calmar. You have come seeking help and advice. You may find what you seek here but never allow yourself to trust what everyone says. You will have great disappointment if you follow the advice of anyone. Creoso, mellonamin,” he said looking closely at Calmar. “You have come on behalf of your people and on behalf of all Yameaus. Do not think for a second that I have forgotten the situation in which we have been placed. It may seem to you that I am so far from everything that goes on that I do not know of the bitter cruel things that have happened. But I know far too well. I have dabbled in the depths of death itself and seen the torture that goes on behind our backs!” his eyes grew fierce and a fire seemed to burn within his soul.  
“Then you know more than even I know about Tarole and his evil creatures. I have come to ask your help in order to reach the King of the West. You have been there many times and we know very little of him or his kingdom.” Calmar said.
“Yes, I have. But he is shadowed in mystery and I can tell that there are things that no one knows. I will try to help the Southern Falls, but I am afraid that you will not be able to go,” he said. And he began a story.   

The Spell of the Winterwolf

Chapter 2 – Unexpected news

“What was that?! I demand to know!” Tarole shouted through his empty corridors. “Does no one listen to me?” he asked.
“Your Majesty , I’m not sure what that was but we can find out,” one of his elves appeared through a rotten door. Tarole stroked his cob-webby beard. His hands were half fingers and half claws. His nails were two inches long and his eyes were cold and translucent.
“Yes Garion, I would like that,” he said with a cruel laugh. What little animal had fallen victim to the Evil Spirit now?
“I’ll get your carrier ready now,” Garion replied.
“Hurry! We haven’t got much time.” The wind was cold as it blew through his long hair. The whip continued to beat the poor animals that pulled the carrier. The trees were bowed low and their ancient eyes followed Tarole through the long narrow hall of them. They pulled up at a clearing in the woods. There was blood splattered on the ground in front of them.
“What is this?” Tarole asked. He got off and put his head down and smelled it. “It’s wolf blood! Who dared to kill one of my wolves! Why didn’t they kill that someone?” Garion fidgeted with his hat. “We will find out who did this and have them pay for it,” growled Tarole.
“I have a bad feeling about this whole thing Tarole, your majesty,” he added.
“You’ve got a bad feeling aye? You want to back down do you? I knew you were a traitor from the beginning!”
“No! I mean, your majesty, I was saying that perhaps we should get help. After all if something happened to me, who would protect you?”
“I think I could manage fine without the likes of you” he frowned. “Yes, well, I’m sure you could sire,” Garion said, hurt. They heard a whispering in the trees. “What is it?” Tarole asked.
“I don’t know, sire!”
“I’m so sorry to bring you this news your majesty,” a wolf emerged from the thicket. “Your highest, respected wolf died by the sword of the hated human, Calmar IV.”
“And you let him get away!? Surely after all the battles you’ve fought, you could at least bring down one human!! Just one human!?” He looked the wolf in the eyes. His eyes were bleeding like they do when the wolves have been in the presence of a human. Tarole clawed him in the belly. He winced as his innards shattered to bits.
“Please sire, it wasn’t all my fault. I just happen to be the only one loyal enough to come back to you. The others fled afraid of what you would do to them.”
“ Just as well.” Tarole let out a sly smile. “I’m going to kill that human if it’s the last thing I do! I will splatter his blood all over the forest and spread his innards on the ground… do you hear me?”
“Yes! Yes sire, I do!” came a short reply.
“Good.”
“Perhaps we should head back now?” Garion suggested.
“Head back? Are you crazy? We’ve come this far and I’m going to go the rest. All the way to the Southern Falls if I have to!” He shivered from the excitement. “Let’s just hope that he’s prepared to die tonight!” He wobbled over to the carrier. He had feathers for his skin and bird legs for his legs, except his head was that of a human. He would have been enough to scare anyone except those ones that obeyed him because they had no leader.

That night at the camp-fire the wolf and Garion were laying side-by-side. They silently listened to Tarole snore.
“Sometimes I wonder why we stay here. What is the point? He doesn’t even want us or like us!” the wolf said.
“Are you saying that you want to leave? I thought you trusted Tarole?”
“Well, it just seems to me that if he wants to catch that dratted human, than he can.” He winced from the pain in his stomach. “It just seems like there is something more than this. I thought having a leader was good, but don’t you think it’s time for us to try things out on our own?” There was silence all around.
“Do you realize what that human has done to you? He’s making you doubt your leader! Just seeing him made you question everything!? Your eyes were bleeding when you came back. That means that it did something to you. You must have stared right into his eyes. Which, logically, it affected you.” Garion ended.
“Enough of the logic, okay? I’m just saying that I think we’ve followed him long enough. It’s been so long since I’ve seen light. Ever since he put that spell on us to make us like him, I’ve never seen the stars. I miss seeing the color.” Garion looked over at the wolf. Something was happening and it wasn’t good. The wolf looked up out of the trees. “Do you see something in the sky?” Garion looked. “No.” The wolf looked again… its stars, he thought. It’s really stars! The spell must be breaking on me! The darkness is being overcome! Just imagine, light again.

It was the middle of the night… complete darkness. Garion stirred gently. Silence. He looked over at the Wolf sleeping soundly. He looked down at the sword buried in his sheath. One stab… just one. That’s all it would take and then there would be no one for Tarole to like better. He would have to keep me live since I’m the only one that knows these woods well. One stab. His hand slowly inched its way down his leg. It hit the hilt of the sword. One stab… he thought. He slowly and quietly pulled it out. It took less than a minute and there he lay… dead and still as the darkness around them. Garion lay down and cleaned his sword. I’ll just blame the humans for it. They sneaked into the camp at night and killed him. Yes, that would be just right. All was going just as planned.  

The Spell of the Winterwolf - Chapter 1

I decided to put 1 chapter of my story on here every week. So here is the first one for this week : ) You will be able to find them all if you click the Label (on the side) that says "The Spell of the Winterwolf". Enjoy!

Lost Tales

The sun set with a groaning of light and all became darkness. The trees whistled in the wind and the silence became almost unbearable. Sweat and tears fell from Calmar’s forehead. The trees gathered in small sanctions, wondering at the mission of the nameless rider. Veseileus bore his master far into the night until at last he became exhausted beyond repair. The horse and his rider laid beneath the starless sky that night, with the darkness closing in around them. It was the beginning of an age, and Calmar wondered what this mysterious age would bring to him and all of his homeland, the Southern Falls. Beauty had always veiled it until the evil creature Tarole unleashed his greatest power, the Spell of the  Winterwolf. Masking the world in darkness, it became their greatest enemy. It turned the greatest warriors into ghosts of the past, barely alive, wishing for life again.  

A life-threatening mission had fallen into the fate of Calmar IV and it was his destiny to fulfil what was written long ago so that the people taken by the spell would be rescued from the Wandering Hills to the East.

In the book of ancient spells it was written:

When the Spell of the Winterwolf has been put on Yameaus, it will become a dark and fearful time. The first thing you must do is to send the son of the king of the Southern Falls, far North to the land of Maethorion, and ask of him to aid you. He will be able to help you. It is written that when he and a maiden willing to go, travel to Lithonion’s kingdom across the Western Sea, the spell will be able to be broken. You must ask Maethorion to go with the young maiden and ask for his help. He has powers that will free you from the Winterwolf’s grasp. No one knows exactly how he will stop the evil darkness, but we know that he can.

Calmar knew much of the deep magic that lay heavy upon the earth. But something told him that this was much different. Something much larger was at work here. He sat tall on the horse as he rode quickly through the woods. It was with reluctance that he left the Southern Falls, for he knew that his father was dying. Already his mother had died long ago; He did not want to lose his father without a farewell. Time was running short and life was on the brink of destruction. The Winterwolf had been cast over two years ago and it had made the world dark and dreary every day and nothing could cheer up the dark clouds that gathered above the earth. It had begun to change people’s minds and making them think differently than they had before.

He could remember his mother’s words echoing through his head.

There will always be evil within the world. A darkness shall always cower beneath the ground. But our destiny is to keep it from overcoming us and subduing us beyond all measure. Calmar spent many sleepless nights staring into the fire, wondering at the fate of all mankind. Veseileus also could sense the urgency of the journey and he stayed with his master beyond all fear. Calmar had been close to his horse since his mother left. A bond had formed, one that would take much to break.

He patted Veseileus’s back and mane. He snorted valiantly into the cold night air. Calmar looked about at the eerie night closing in about them. The darkness frightened neither of them, and together they braved the coldest, darkest nights known to men.

No one had ever entered the Damarion Woods since the spell had been put on it. It was a wood full of shape-shifters and darkness dwellers. Things moved within the woods that daylight would prove altogether hideous. Evil lurked behind every tree and beneath every shrub. The trees stayed the same however, watching as their once beautiful forest became overrun with foul and filthy creatures. They were sent by Tarole himself, who wanted nothing to be the same as before. The trees moaned at the awful sight and quivered in the dark. “Someday I will come back and save them all. They are beautiful trees and never again will they see this vile darkness,” Calmar whispered gently as they rode. Veseileus continued far on into the night barring his master to yet another place. Icicles hung dangerously from the trees and water dripped loudly to the ground, making a watery ascent.

The forest changed even his dreams. He had fitful and restless dreams. Memories flooded his mind. The image of a small boy began coming to him night after night. Veseileus sensed that something was wrong with his master, but there was nothing he could do. One night a vision came to Calmar. It was a small boy running in a field, laughing gently. Then a shadow came over the field and the boy was led somewhere beyond his vision and the flowers slowly wilted and the boy never returned. The vision was mysterious and dark and it seemed to have a purpose.

One night Calmar sat around the fire, thinking back on his life before the spell. He remembered the beauty that life had held once for him. Her name was Adanessa and she came from the land beyond the Sea. She was more beautiful than anyone he had ever beheld, and yet something about her remained a secret, untold to anyone.

On the cold and dark nights he would find her alone in a room above the castle, watching the stars go silently on. He came up behind and put his arm around her.
“You seem restless, Adanessa. Is there something you must tell me?”
“My destiny seems uncertain. But I am certain of one thing only, something that can never be taken from me,” she smiled.

Those days were beautiful and he wished them never to end. But all too shortly she was called by the evil spell and was taken suddenly from his grasp into the Lost Hills to the East. She wandered alone until the Winterwolf became a strong part of her and she became a wild woman.

The memory lived on strongly in his mind and many restless nights were spent dreaming of their life before the spell. Many nights had been spent looking out to sea. It seemed to call her very soul. It was a fortnight before the spell came and they were standing on the brink of the sea, talking softly together.
“Calmar, I know that some evil is growing beneath the shadows, in a place I cannot see. Someday I will not have you with me. I grieve to see that day in my mind, but fate cannot be hindered.” She reached within the folds of her delicate dress and brought out a beautiful stone on a silver chain. “This has been my constant hope in times of darkness. It will shine when all other lights fade. Lose not your hope upon this dreary earth. For where love is, there also life can be found.” She leaned and kissed him gently, letting her hands fall from his shoulders. “It is carved from the brightest star of the Universe and holds the light of the Sky.”
She had seemed so different that night than she ever had before. Something had changed in her.
“What is it Adanessa?”

She looked down at the soft green grass beneath their feet. “Calmar, I didn’t want to tell you, but I see that now it is important. I am not one of you. I am a Sea Elf. I have been born of the sea and that is why I so much like to stand here and watch it move. But I do not want you to worry about the rumors of the Spell of the Winterwolf, for it will affect me the same as it does you. As soon as we reach help, I will be restored to you.”
“You talk as if you knew it were coming!” Calmar exclaimed.
“Calmar, I have seen into the future. It remains in mystery for the most part, but it is a dark mystery. I can tell that it could only mean the unleashing of the Winterwolf. But I am not afraid, for when you find the cure, I will come back to you. I will, beyond all odds, be overcome by the spell.”

Fourteen days later Tarole cast the spell over Yameaus. It slowly began to change minds and turn the once beautiful forest into a mine of darkness and evil.

It was the very next day when he went to find her, that she had disappeared into the Lost Hills. Grief and disappointment had flooded his soul. Would nothing stay unaffected by the darkness of the spell?

“Are you able to cast spells?” he had asked her once.
“Yes I can,” she answered softly.
“Then why can you not cast a spell to save you from the grasp of this. I ask not for myself. I care not whether I torment under the weight of it, but I am fearful for you.”
“Calmar,” she touched his mouth. “Think not of me that way. I can undergo anything. Pray, do not worry yourself needlessly. See those stars? Your fate is hidden somewhere in them, and you will soon know your calling. I will show you one more thing before the darkness comes.” She lifted her hands to the sea and beautiful words came from her, “Yala onna en' alu.” Out of the water sprang many men. They were dressed in robes of beauty, but they were made of water. They rode on mighty steeds and together they broke the surface of the water. Suddenly they vanished and colorful creatures of all kinds began swimming about in the water. They had beautiful colors and they lit up the turf. Then they too vanished and all was silent.
Calmar looked over at her and smiled. “Thank you, Adanessa. I will hold you in my heart forever.” And together they stared out to sea, at one with nature.

Veseileus nudged his arm gently. Calmar was quickly aroused.
“What is it boy?” he looked at the horse who stood anxiously by his master’s side. Calmar heard something from the woods. He put his boots on and jumped astride Veseileus. They began riding quickly but Calmar could feel the presence of other creatures closing in around them. Suddenly the Wolves stepped into the clearing. The stench of evil clung heavily to them. The horse snorted into the cold air.

“What have we here?” The Wolf asked. “A Son of Man in the woods alone. Do you not know that no one has ventured in here for over five years?”
“Yes. I know that well. But darkness will not prevail over us!” he shouted. “For too long you have hid in these woods, expecting them to hide you from the light. But a day is coming when the shadow shall be overcome! Then you shall have your just reward.”
“And, may I ask you, how can you be so certain of this? Surely it does not look like you are in a winning position now. Or do you also have special powers?” He asked.
“No, it is just as you have said. I am nothing special. I am no warrior over death. But I am willing to take the price that death asks of me if it be for a higher cause. You will not always win. Someday you too will die.”
The Wolf circled him. “My Master, Tarole, has sent me to kill you. Do you know why? Let me tell you!” He screamed. “Because in the Book of Spells it is written that when the Spell of the Winterwolf has been set, it will be set through eternity if the Son of the King of the Southern Falls… dies. Is that clear? So let yourself be killed and you will let all of your loved ones, kin, and family suffer with this curse for all of eternity, never dying.”
“But it is also written that if the one who set the Spell is killed, the curse will immediately by shaken from the earth, you deceitful wretch!” Calmar drew his sword slowly.
The Wolf turned to his comrades. “Take him down.”

In the moments that followed, death could be felt in the air as claws and fangs met the fiery grasp of the sword. Veseileus fought with a vengeance, but the Wolves were too much for him. A searing sound shook the forest as their claws ripped Veseileus’s side, tearing the skin off his body. He crippled under the pain and yet he lifted his head and looked into Calmar’s eyes as if to say farewell; Then his head fell and he was no more. Calmar screamed into the night and lifted his sword, bringing it down upon the Wolves. Suddenly the Wolf jumped on top of him, pinning him to the ground. He could feel his breath in his face.
“You thought you would save your people. But your fate has told you different,” he growled.
Something flashed through Calmar’s mind. “Do not speak to me of fate! You know nothing of fate!” Calmar reached for his sword and ran it through the Wolf’s stomach. He watched as the blood spattered on the ground and covered him. Death had finally gripped his prey. The Wolf looked down at him one last time and let out a howl that shook the ground.