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Beyond the Darkness

(0) Tree's burned,ashes flew in the sky across the smoke and onto the ground. Orcs sprinted on the dirt stone path threw the dark woods of Arkina. They reached the village Springwood. Orcs fell to there graves as Elven arrowes flew into the air catching into the Orcish flesh. The Orcs charged on into the village metting an army of hundreds. ''Fire!'' a Elven commander yelled as the Orcs came up into the entrance of the village. More arrows flew going into the Orcs flesh. ''Kill them all!'' yelled an Orc. White paint slid on his cheeks as heavy armor covered his body. The Orcs ran but met knight's on horses. ''Aridie behing you!' yelled an elven archer. Aridie turned around just as a Orc blade cut into his flesh. He yelled but took the pain with anger swinging his blade into the Orcs head. Just as Aridie swung his blade into another Orc Zuijin as they called this foul Orc his Aridie with his axe just cutting his arm off Aridie fell to the ground blood ozzed down his arm. The commanding Orc Zuijin stept on Aridie crushing him. Aridie grabbed a little knife stabbing into the Orcs heart just as it bent over to do the final blow. They had one the battle and burned the Orcs buddies that night. As for Aridie he died of the wound a month later they burried him in the courtyard but they would never foreget the brave heroes deeds. (Andrew, Age 8 to 12, 1/3/2003 7:19:58 PM, Beyond_the_Darkness)

(1) Arianna Ran as fast as she could.Her bookbag banging against her side and back.It was autom and the teacher had just assingened that they look up there family tree as far as they could.the oldest person Arianna knew that could help her was her great Aunt Babs.As she crossed the road headed towards the other side of the street Arianna had an odd feeling that she should be still.The whole neiborhood went dark as if an invisible hand hade covered the sun.there was an odd light though.Little ripples like a stream of silver mist.Arianna looked up as a small breeze carresed her face and a rainbow of fallen leaves rained down all around.Her hazel eyes closed and she leaned her head back.But her head snapped back as she heard a call.Two calls.And she knew instictivly it was the call of the Orcs.The second meant that the Elves had come. (Morgain, Age 13 to 18, 5/14/2003 7:28:55 PM, Beyond_the_Darkness)

(2) Arianna raised her hands.The left with palm outstended the right over her head with her fingers forming a type of claw.Her eyes shone with an eriee light.And with the wind makeing her cheeks rosy with color and plaing with her brown hair so it danced,she looked like a pure-blooded Fey.And then she saw them.Hundreds of them and their beasts suddenly appering out of the air as if they had been there the whole time.But oh the things they held!Red caps,hinkypuks,oh and,Arianna's eyes widened as she saw.Nymphs.Chained and blooded.Collors around there necks with spikes,and (for they were close eneough now for her to see)these spikes were on the inside of the collor not the outside so that they ate into the poor dears flesh causing blood to ooz sprites arn't supposed to be treated like this.She steped forward.They vanished.And she knew with a cerainty that what she had just saw had been an Echo of what had already happened.She lowered her arms and picked up her book bag and sprinted the last few blocks to great Aunt babs' place.But as she knocked on the door she though.'they could be echo'sof things that had already happened...or things to come' Arianna shivered at the thought of such things actually walking down the street where she lived.But then Aunt Babs opened the door,and Arianna could only concentrate on breathing as she was pulled into a crushing perfume induced embrace. (Brigid, Age 13 to 18, 5/14/2003 7:50:48 PM, Beyond_the_Darkness)

(3) "Oh Arianna, I'm so glad that you're safe. So, so, glad."her aunt whispered into Arianna's hair. "Why, Aunt Babs, why?"Arianna asked, puzzled. "Oh nothing." her aunt said quickly. But Arianna saw from the look in her aunt's eyes that this was not true. "Aunt Babs, something had to have happened. What's wrong." Her aunt hid her face in her hands and did not speak. After a while she turned and said... (ihpos*-, Age 8 to 12, 6/3/2003 4:26:28 PM, Beyond_the_Darkness)

(4) "There were Orcs in our forest. When you didn't come I thought, I thought, that," her aunt paused unable to say any more. Arianna was dumbstruck. She was going to tell her aunt about the Echo she had seen, but seeing the look on her aunt's face made her stop dead in her tracks. Aunt Babs was a wise woman who was full of knowledge of magic and herbs. She was a friend of the sprites and Arianna suddenly knew that she couldn't tell her aunt. What if it wasn't an Echo? What if it was a Projection from what could be the future? Seeing projections was a bad sign in these days. People never trust you again after you tell them about the images. Only her aunt would understand. Aunt Babs was a Mind Reader that could see if a person was person was seeing images. But could she stand the pain of seeing th Echo or Projection that Arianna saw? Arianna finally pooured out her story, her aunt hanging on her every word. (sophian, Age 8 to 12, 6/17/2003 4:00:28 PM, Beyond_the_Darkness)

(5) Arianna gasped for breath at the end of her story. She shifted her feet before looking up into her aunts expressionless face, bracing herself. "Arianna" said her aunt softly,pushing arianna's hair behind her ears. "I already knew, darling". "Oh",Arianna looked crestfallen, but felt enlightened to see her aunts demure face. It calmed her slightly to know her aunt wasn't worried. Aunt babs seemed to understand her relief and smiled, her eyes full of pitty. (Nadine, Age 13 to 18, 7/23/2003 9:17:01 AM, Beyond_the_Darkness)

(6) She doesn't know, Babs thought. She doens't know how much danger she's in. Such a great gift, but at a terrible price. Arianna saw that her aunt was troubled. "'Aunt Babs? What's wrong?" "I was just remembering my friend. She had the same gift." "Oh. What happened to her?" "She was taken far, far, away. never saw her again." Arianna didn't need to ask her aunt to know that the Orcs had taken her friend. "What was her name?" "Emma." her aunt replied. She sensed that Arianna knew more than she thought that she did before. She was ready to hear the story. "I will never forget it." She took Arianna's hand and threw some glowing powder in the flames of her firplace. The flames shimmered with an eerie light. Arianna knew what her aunt wanted her to do. Her mother had done the same thing many times to show what it was like during a particular memory. She stepped into the flames and was transported to the quiet town of Harmony, twenty years ago. The sky was dark and no stars glimmered in the skys. Arianna felt a sense of dread. All of a sudden a young girl ran into the town, her dress ripped and torn, her basket empty. "Orcs!" she cried. "Orcs!" All of the villagers ran outside to see. The Orcs came holding spears and sheilds, evil glowing in their green eyes. Arianna heard a voice, "Run!" a mother said, pushing forth her two daughters. "Go! I'll be there in a minute!" One had flaming red hair and piercing green eyes. The other had golden hair and soft blue eyes. Arianna realised that the one with red hair was her aunt and the other was her mother. "Marina, go!" Babs cried to her sister. "Go! I need to find Emma!" Marina seemed to protest, but Babs was all ready gone. "Emma!" Babs screamed. "Babs!" cried a voice to her right. Babs whirled around. "Emma." she whispered in horror. Her friend was bound with tightly to another elf inside a wagon. Babs wordlessly climbed up and tried to untie her friend. The rope shocked and burned her. Babs rubbed a salve on her hand and grimly began to work. An Orc spotted her and pushed her aside with his strong arm. "Emma." she cried. "Babs. Here." She tossed a small golden chain. Babs caught it. She saw that it had a small charm shaped as a flame. It shimmered and gleamed in the light of the burning village. "Whatever happens, remember that, beyond the darkness, there will always be light." The elf called as she was taken away. "Emma." Babs whispered. She wept as she saw her friend taken away. She didn't think that there would be a light, not ever,. "Babs" her mother said gently, it's time to go. Babs ran toward her mom, trying to hide her tears. "Its not fair." "I know, dear, I know." her mother repleid as they rode away into the night. "Arianna?" her aunt was right behind her. "Its time to go." They were transported back into the village. And without any words, they held each other tight, trying to remember the light. (sophian, Age 8 to 12, 8/10/2003 9:47:02 AM, Beyond_the_Darkness)

(7) "I'm sorry Aunt Babs. I have to be going now,"Arianna said with a sob,"Stay safe." Her aunt nodded in agreement,"You too, Arianna." Her aunt looked down at the ground mournfully. Arianna walked out the door. "Beyond the darkness, there will always be light,"she repeated to herself,"I sure hope so." she walked along a path leading to another small village. She glanced up at a sign that read,"Racoty Village". She continued walking until she came to the little village of Racoty. It seemed empty, no one was there. "Hello?" said Arianna rotating her eyes back and forth,"Is anyone....there?" (RaptorGal, Age 13 to 18, 11/11/2003 7:14:12 PM, Beyond_the_Darkness)

(8) suddenly it happened again, that moment of stillness just before the action. She stepped backwards away from the things she could see infront of her but there was no way to ignore the girl running desperately, knives in her hands, her last defense as the orc behind closed in on her. She did the only thing she could, she threw one of her knives back at him, perhaps by luck, perhaps by skill it impaled itself in the soft skin of his neck and he fell and so did the girl. She fell to her knees relieved to have escaped them, and then she turned and looked straight at Arianna with a look of fright and suprise at seeing someone else in the street. (Rhiann, Age 13 to 18, 12/1/2003 8:39:09 AM, Beyond_the_Darkness)

(9) "Arianna!" She shouted."Help mi!Tell the others that Orcs are gonna invade the whole world.Tell the others to come here n help me fight the Orcs.Now!!!!" Another Orc came out.Using all of her strength she could gather she swung a kife at it.Blood gushed out from it... (Alvi, Age 8 to 12, 1/5/2004 9:15:07 PM, Beyond_the_Darkness)

(10) "Arianna!" she yelled. "We need more reinforcements! We have to defend our world!" She felt a light tapping on her shoulder. She spun around and saw a orc behind her. It swung a branch at her and she blacked out... (wee, Age 8 to 12, 1/5/2004 9:21:58 PM, Beyond_the_Darkness)

(11) She came to and found herself at home so she found out that all was a dream and she was on the fall. What a Nightmare! (strawberry fanny, Young Adult, 1/7/2004 5:52:36 AM, Beyond_the_Darkness)

(12) He,he, straberry Fanny (Brigid, Age 13 to 18, 3/10/2004 9:10:41 PM, Beyond_the_Darkness)