Hello, I'm known as Sylva Knight, and I am the official writer of the Story. However, not all of the ideas were mine, and each different character was played by a different user. I have simply taken several different threads and meshed them into one story.

This storyline was played a very long time ago, when this site was still young. Read, and enjoy.

For a better understanding of the Story, please take a look at the map.

Sylvanesti

Blackness swept through the shadows of space. Winds were whispering, comets rushing back and forth, but in one bright place, all things were watching and waiting, for the Stars had called a Council. The purpose of this Council was to give assignments to three unusual Starbournes.

Starbournes are unusual creatures to begin with. They come from the centers of the Stars and serve as their messengers, warriors, and general doers of their will. Starbournes appear as humans or elves, only with wings, and their powers are numerous. On the many planets the atmospheres cloud their true form, so they are excellent shape-shifters. Many have the ability to see into the future or the past, to see and hear things that happen far away, to become invisible, to heal, and to speak to others through the mind.

The three Starbournes who stood now before the Council were especially powerful, but this was not what made them so unusual. These three were born of the Star Luminar, a Star who who had not born a Starbourne since it bore the first. But against all odds, these three stood here, siblings in all respects. The Stars followed tradition and bestowed an assignment to oldest first. He stood tall and strong. Piercing gray eyes lay shadowed under a shock of white hair that did nothing to hide his youth; on the planets he would appear a mere twenty-eight years of age. Fair skin was covered with a white tunic and armor; he held his helm in one large hand. A great sword hung at his side, the many white gems that crusted the hilt telling of the many titles he had earned and won.

The voice that spoke might have been on the wind itself, it hissed and rushed and flowed about the ears. And on it, it carried the fate of a Starbourne.

"Jarrenalek Luminarith, you are given the charge of a Warrior. Go where you will, combat evil, and protect the good, the young, and the innocent. May Fate speed you well."

The Starbourne bowed, turned, and retreated behind the other two. The Voice spoke again, but this time it deviated from tradition, speaking to the youngest one instead of the middle. The Starbourne was slight, lightly built, not as strong as his brother, but faster. And honest, open face topped with dark red hair housed gray eyes, flecked with red. His face made him appear no more than eighteen years old, though he had seen centuries. His dark red tunic was simple; he wore no armor and carried only a dagger.

"Jakkhenalerek Luminarith, you are given the charge of a Healer. Go where you will, heal those in pain, mend the grievances caused by other Starbournes. May Fate speed you well."

He stepped aside and the Voice turned to the third one. This one's birth had been the strangest of all. The Star Luminar had been halfway consumed by a Black Hole when she had emerged and the Starbourne had destroyed the Hole, saving her parent Star. Now she stood before the Council, slender but strong, midnight hair falling over her shoulders and black tunic, black eyes gazing out from a deeply bronzed face. She was beautiful and terrible at the same time,, the only black Starbourne. Her face said she was twenty-three; her eyes betrayed her age. And now she stood motionless, waiting.

"Jeltaria Luminarith, you are given the charge of a Keeper of the Future. Listen to Fate's guiding hand and alter situations to fit its wishes."

She replied in a voice of hardened crystal, clear and resonating.

"Tell me what land I am to be given."

"You shall watch over the land of Sylvanesti."

3000 years later

The wind was as cold as the stars overhead, rushing through her hair and over her face, penetrating the cloak and tunic she wore and chilling her to the bone. She would not have felt safe in the misty darkness if she were not astride the dragon Anglemist. No, not the dragon, her dragon. Or at least her dragon soon. And she would be Anglemist's rider. Ruana gripped the dragon's sides more tightly with her knees as she dropped out of the clouds and began the descent. Soon, I will be bonded. Soon... There it was now, a hilltop, up against the mountains that loomed east of the dominion of Telgar, bordering the land of Sylvanesti. A ring of stones crowned the hill and from them a path was lined that led into a carven chamber of crystalline rock that shone in lamplight. The clear pool inside was not visible, though Ruana knew it was there.

Anglemist lighted on the hilltop, white scales glinting in the moonlight and wings outstretched for balance. Ruana leapt lightly from her back, placing a hand lightly on the dragon's side and walking in tandem with her enormous stride towards the lit interior. She was nervous, yes, and frightened. They said that the Goddess Almathea herself performed the bonding. If this was the truth in all actuality, then she would see the divinity face to face and would speak in her presence. As if sensing the elf's mood, the dragoness made a low rumbling note in deep her throat, akin to a purr, and nudged her lightly. Ruana smiled up at her, again feeling a reassurance that all would be well. They were just about to enter the protected chamber when Ruana felt something like a cold breath, a wind that whispered around her and a brought a voice that spoke in her head.

"I see you..." She stopped up short, whirling around, eyes frantically searching the surrounding hills for the source of the voice, for though she heard it in her head, she knew that it came from elsewhere, for it was not her voice and she did not think these thoughts.

"I am watching you. You are there, and I am here, yet I see you as clearly as if I were next to you. I leave now, but I shall return, and we shall have words, for you have been chosen...chosen...chosen..."

The last word echoed over and over, gradually fading out even as Ruana found the source. Far, far away, on one of the rolling hilltops she saw a tiny figure. It was black, and wore a cloak, but that was all she could tell. As she watched, it mounted a great steed, which immediately turned and disappeared over the crest of the rise. Beside her Anglemist snorted.

"What was that, you think?" She knew Anglemist shared her thoughts, and was a little disappointed, having hoped that the dragon had been able to make something of the strange occurrence

"I have no clue," she replied slowly. "But let us go. I do not want to keep the Goddess waiting if she is indeed here."

The white dragoness nodded and moved on into the lighted area and Ruana followed, but not without one last glance out into the night. She knew not that it was the beginning, only that it was momentous. She would know exactly how important soon, or so she thought. Or perhaps she would only know when she looked back at the end of her life.

But those were questions for the future. For now she was content with the present, and the present was the importance of now. She would attend to it and put all other things out of her head until later. A soft glow suddenly joined the lanterns' light. The Goddess had arrived.

The moonlight was freezing, but he did not feel it. He did not feel anything. The rock he sat on was as hard as the water that lapped at his feet, yet he did not care. He did not feel because he was not living, but he was not dead either. A vampire, from the Lands of Shadow, last of his race, he existed only for the blood-hunger that was as much a part of himself as the Sythe that lay on the rocks beside him, its red eye glaring up at the patchy clouds that marred the star-filled sky. The Shimmering Lake was quiet at this time of night, and he desired nothing but silence at the moment.

He was not to be granted his wish. Water splashed as a shape moved on the edge of the water, and an enormous man on a charger came into the moonlight. The vampire rose smoothly to his feet, violet eyes flashing at this intrusion. The man stopped, seeing him out on the small rock that rose like an island out of the dark lake. He wore black armor as did the black horse, and the axe he carried must have weighed far too much for an ordinary man to handle.

"You! Boy. I am looking for someone. Perhaps you can help me."

The vampire's eyes glittered. "Only if you do not call me boy. I am far older than you will ever live to be."

The man threw his head back and laughed, and he tightened his grip on the Sythe, anger boiling up inside him. This man was asking to die.

"Your name." The man stopped laughing and gave him a haughty look.

"I am known as Kathdran, the Black Mage. Do not trifle with me. And who are you?

"I am called Luke Carden. Do not trifle with me."

The man sniffed contemptuously. "I am looking for a woman. She is tall, with long black hair, and dresses all in black. Black eyes as well. Have you seen her?"

"I have seen no such woman," he retorted. "In this land she is most likely dead, as you yourself will be if you do not depart quickly. Go look in the countries. Valpaix would be a good start."

The man jerked the reins as his charger snorted and reared halfway in the air. "Very well, I shall go. But if I see you again I shall not be merciful." The vampire watched him go with expressionless eyes, still fingering his weapon.

His thoughts drifted back in time, to those he had met and betrayed, and others he had seen die. But only one lingered in his mind's eye. It was an assassin he had met, several years ago, when she had stolen his kill. He remembered the day clearly, mostly because he had not been able to conquer her in the ensuing battle.

The clearing had been dark and empty, for the moon and stars were veiled in clouds and the trees loomed overhead. The only inhabitants of the space were a dead horse with its dead rider and a tall, slender figure that stood over them. He gritted his teeth in frustration, the fangs cutting deep into his lip and drawing a brief flow of blood that stopped almost instantly. This kill was supposed to belong to him, to be his. He moved out of the trees, entirely ready to claim it as his own. He said so. The cloaked figure turned slowly and he saw that it was a woman, clad in a black tunic with midnight black hair. He challenged her again. She laughed.

He lunged, the Sythe slicing through the air straight towards her neck, but she pivoted, faster than lightening. The Sythe was torn from his hand and her arm pinned his to his back as a knife was pressed to his throat. He let out a strangled laugh of triumph.

"You cannot kill me. You cannot kill those that are already dead."

"I know this." Her voice startled him, clear and cold as the stars. Then suddenly the pressure on his neck and arms was gone. He looked for her, but she had vanished, as had the corpse on the ground. She was gone, leaving only the dead horse.

The vision faded, and he muttered something under his breath as he turned to leave his place on the rock, but then paused and looked up. A wild breath of wind rushed over him, carrying on it the sound of a passing storm fueled by enormous wings. A dark shape obscured the stars for a brief moment as it passed above him and then it was gone. He paid it no more mind as he moved off into the trees, wandering again as he always did...

The Queen of Shados was restless. Long claws curled and uncurled as she stepped out from the cramped space of the nest onto the ledge and looked out over her kingdom. Shados was a land of volcanoes, a place where the air was filled with soot and ashes, and always smelt like sulfur. It was the home and stronghold of the Dark Dragons, the base of their raids and the treasury of their riches. They were mighty, and the Chaos Dragons were the mightiest of all. Such was Khisanth.

A gust of wind scattered the black dust that coated the stone as another dragoness swerved into a landing. Unlike the brilliantly red queen, she was black, with golden eyes. Wings momentarily turned to stone, then reverted back to an organic state and her footsteps as she approached the Chaos reverberated off the mountains. She was much smaller than Khisanth, but she still towered over most of the other breeds of the flying lizards. She was a Storm dragon

Khisanth turned towards her, yellow fumes pouring from her nostrils.

"Jailyn, I am leaving for the day. Watch the eggs. Let no one touch them." Emerald orbs flashed as she said this, and the Storm took them with a single nod. She knew the queen meant not to guard against the common dragons, but against her mate, another Storm, and the Undead dragoness, the skeletal.

Satisfied that her wishes would be carried out, the Chaos stretched her wings and lifted into the air. She would go south, to the Drakken Wastelands, and then would turn and see what small destruction she could cause without being too late returning. Plays for power by others were always a danger. Soaring high over the encircling mountains, she disappeared into dark clouds that always hung over the land, shooting away in a spout of flame that vanished in the still air.

Far above the clouds, a slight wind was stirring. The sound of a soft melody, one that is often employed by the midnight breeze, was wafting its way among the few wisps of cloud. Something was being prepared, and the high-flying eagles knew that something was going to happen. Fate was weaving. What Fate was weaving, no one knew. But they would soon discover it, for Fate does not keep secrets. It reveals its intentions in time.

The Drakken Wastelands. An endless maze of cracks, crevices, and ravines that slashed their tortuous way through the burnt plateau that rose around the single dead volcano. Shados was a land of Dark Power, filled with evil and yet with a sense of malevolent life. The Wastelands held only death. Nothing lived here.

Dust and pebbles scattered as clawed feet hit the pale ground with a thud. Khisanth came here sometimes to exercise, pushing boulders into the crevices and off the high cliffs, then carrying them back to the top of the plateau. Now she snapped her wings and snorted, placing one enormous shoulder against a boulder half her gigantic size and froze. Something had moved.

She stepped back and looked carefully around, emerald orbs searching throughout the scattered remains of the land. There it was, a cloaked figure on a winged horse. The pegasus was not like any she had ever seen before; its black wings stretched an impossible distance and fangs appeared when it opened its mouth to blow. Silver streaks ran through its mane and tail, and its silver hooves made no sound on the rock. Silver trappings completed the other-worldly look, but its eyes were the deepest part. Silver like all other things about it that were not black, they shone with an eerie light that seemed to cut through the smoky air.

Its rider dismounted with a fluid motion, throwing the cloak back behind her shoulders. This revealed a slender figure covered by a sleeveless black tunic. Silver armguards and bands adorned her arms, and the belt she wore supported a heavy battle knife and a long assassin's blade that reached to the top of her knee-high boots. Her face, however, remained shadowed by the hood of the cloak. She started forward resolutely, showing no sign of fear but making it certain to be known that the Chaos dragon was her object. Khisanth felt a twinge of resentment. Who was this human, elf, or whatever she was to approach the Queen of Shados so? She would make her fear her. And then, well, normally she would have killed her on sight, but something made her curious.

The Chaos thrust her head forward, mouth open. Acid fire sprang from her jaws, rushing towards the woman with the sound of a scream. She had timed the speed of the flames so that the woman would be able to leap out of the way in time, but so that it would still singe her clothing. But then she was surprised for the second time in the space of an hour. The woman thrust out her hands towards the flames and from them sprang a wavery silvery screen of light. The chaotic fire collided with it and vanished, dispersing in the air. Then she lowered her hands and continued to advance.

Khisanth felt a grudging respect for the woman begin to grow. She couldn't be a human or and elf, for none of those had the power to stand up to a Chaos Dragon. This person was one of a kind. And now she stood before her.

"Greetings to you, Queen Khisanth of Shados, Lady of Chaos. I am Jelt, a Keeper of the Future, and I request your help."

Khisanth eyed her carefully, the resentment still strong, but the respect growing. She had used the ancient greeting of the Dragons and that spoke of either knowledge or long-livety, possibly both. She lowered herself until her chin touched the ground and her eyes were level with the woman's, and then snorted, sending two horizontal columns of flame along either side of her. The black whipped in the wind and the smell of sulfur grew stronger.

"What is it I would do, and what would I acquire for it?"

The woman lowered her hood, revealing a face of stunning features, black hair, and eyes, and a silver headpiece. Her silver-gray eyes flamed with honesty. I want you to guard and entrance to a cave for me while I enter and retrieve something of value from the treasure that lies within. It is a single diamond, only so small, that I speak of." Here she held out a hand, fingers curled to demonstrate. "The treasure within the cave rivals the one you and your ancestors have amassed in Shados over many centuries. Do this to help me and it shall be yours."

The Chaos hissed, inwardly pleased, but not showing it outwardly. "I will do this. You may take that one gem which you seek you seek, but as for the rest, it is now mine."

The woman nodded and inclined her head slightly in a gesture of thanks. Then she turned towards a flat slab of rock and pointed a finger. Lighting sprang forth like the edge of a knife and sliced through, creating a hole. Beyond it was only darkness. Before entering, the woman turned toward the black pegasus and murmured something at which it snorted and took to the air. In a moment it was gone and she moved into the blackness.

Behind a boulder not far away was another being, one that appeared as a man but really was not so. His mouth formed a grin that revealed fangs as he heard of the treasure. This was a great opportunity. Luke Carden had recognized the woman as the same assassin who had stolen his quarry several years before, and now he was ready for retribution. It would taste sweet. Swiftly he changed his form from that of a man to that of a bat and took silently to the air, flying quickly past the dragon and into the the cavern. The tunnel was small and narrow, but he had no trouble flying easily in this form. He winged past the woman with a laughing shriek and continued into the darkness.

Jelt was satisfied. She had made a tentative ally of a very powerful sort, and even now was on her way to completion of her latest mission. A bat rushed past her head and she instinctively moved aside, not thinking anything about it. Then it rushed on her in an instant. She had felt that presence before and then it was not in the guise of a bat.

With a yell she began to run, shapeshifting as she went. The form she took on was that of a dragon-lizard, one without wings that moved fast underground. Still she could tell that she would not overtake the bat before it reached the treasure cavern. A glow appeared ahead of her, spurring her on. When she reached it, she slithered quickly along one wall and disappeared behind an enormous pile of rubies.

The vampire flew into the chamber just ahead of her, glancing around quickly and spying an enormous gem that lay on a pedestal atop of a pile of gems in the center of the room. It gave off a soft glow that seemed to light the entire chamber. I bet that's what she's after. What if I get to it first? The minute he landed on top of it he felt strength flow into him. It was as if he had just woken from a deep sleep. The lightness, the feeling of freedom, and the clearness of mind left him swaying. I have to have it now. He was so preoccupied with the strange gem that he barely noticed the dragon-lizard that darted into the cavern.

One of Jelt's many abilities as a Starbourne was invisibility, and now she put it to good use. Morphing back into her humanoid form, she drifted from pile to pile of gems, never taking her eyes off of the bat. The silver streaks in her hair were gone now, as were the ones in her eyes. She was in stealth mode, something she was better at than any other Starbourne. As she passed one sparkling mound of gems, she knelt and snatched a small star-shaped diamond and secured it in a pouch on her belt. Then, still invisible, she raised a shield around herself, formed a thought in her head, and sent it back to the Chaos outside.

There's an intruder in your treasure. Burn him out. It won't hurt the gems or me.

The Chaos must have gotten the message, for fire began pouring out of the tunnel-entrance almost immediately. She gritted her teeth and held the shield up, relieved when the destructive flames finally stopped. Cautiously looking out from behind the pile of sapphires, she saw, to her dismay, that the bat had taken shelter under the gems and was now back atop the large crystal on the pedestal. Determination shone in her eyes as she reinforced her invisibility and carefully started towards him.

Luke heard a very slight noise. She was here then, somewhere. Waiting silently, he listened and felt, felt for her presence. He knew it by heart, and now it was getting nearer. Much nearer. He whirled, transforming back into humanoid form and slamming to his back on the diamonds even as she suddenly became visible behind him and a long assassin's knife flashed and became embedded in his chest.

Time stood still for a moment. He looked at the knife, then at the hand that still grasped the handle. It was small, the fingers slender. The nails were silver. His eyes moved up the arm and finally came to the face. It was a face of resignation, beautiful yet terrible as it frowned. A smiled curled across his own lips as he grasped both her hand and the knife handle and tore the weapon out of his chest. The wound healed almost instantly though the tear in the tunic remained.

Her eyes grew hard and she started to pull the knife back, but he held tightly, looking closely into her eyes.

"You cannot kill those who are already dead."

And suddenly the black eyes faded to silver gray, grasping the violet ones in a stranglehold. And to his astonishment, the reply was far different than the last time.

"Mortals cannot. I can. Just not with a knife."

Realization swept over him like a cold storm and he released her hand and the knife slowly. She had not been trying to kill him, only show him who would have won. Now she still stood there, watching him carefully. Then he laughed. Her eyes flickered slightly.

"We shall meet again, my lady. We shall meet again." The last words faded as he vanished, revealing the empty pedestal at the top of the diamond mound.

Jelt stood there for a brief moment before she too began to laugh. The vampire thought he had won, but she had exactly what she wanted. She felt the diamond star in the pouch on her belt. It was time to go.

She looked towards the top of the chamber as she changed into her dragon form: a black Star Dragon. Shooting white flames at the ceiling, she broke through and exploded out of the top of the dead volcano, wreathed in fire. Coming to ground with a thud, she became a humanoid once again as the Chaos approached. In a better mood now, she actually bowed.

"You can easily get to the treasure chamber through the crater," she motioned to the peak of the volcano. "I regret to say that the intruder got away with the prize gem of the treasure, the Fire Crystal. Perhaps you have heard of it?"

The Chaos looked toward the volcano a few moments longer, then turned her massive head to Jelt. "I have indeed. But it is no matter, if the treasure is indeed as large as you say it is, I shall not miss even such as the Fire Crystal." With that, Khisanth lifted high off the plateau and dived down into the chasm.

Alone then, Jelt looked upwards and saw not the drifting fumes of the Wasteland, but a star-filled sky. Once again going to dragon form, she rocketed for space to deposit the precious diamond with the Stars. This mission was over, but the longest one still remained.

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