Birds chirped in the trees. Sendaria bathed in its usual sunshine. Inside the hills, Ardoni with bright blue markings carried baskets and mended tools. Their rooms were dug intricately so that the hills provided camouflage for their homes. In the fields, the Ardoni toiled the crops. They wore no clothes, for they had a natural hard protective layer on their skin. Their markings, bedecking the front and rear of their bodies, mark who they are. In fact, Ardoni identify each other through their markings. Blue light, as the ones laboring in the fields, are Sendaris. Yellow ones, such as the Tidesinger, are Nestoris. Purple markings are Mendoris, Green Kaltaris, and red is the demonic Voltaris.
In the garden of the largest hill, two young Ardoni were sparring with wooden swords. One with markings glowing a pleasant light blue, was winning. The other, whose markings had no color but simply shone white, was doing his best to gain ground.
Suddenly, the light blue Ardoni swung out and knocked the other into a pond. "Oh! Are you alright, Senn?" Ria asked, sorry for her punch already.
Senn rose up from the bottom of the shallow pond and sputtered out a mouthful of water. Scratching his head where it had hit the bottom, he said "Yeah… yeah I'm fine."
Ria held out her left hand to help Senn out of the pond. Senn took it, and yanked Ria into the pond as well.
"Ah!" Ria gave a high-pitched scream as she joined Senn in the water. "Ha ha!" triumphed Senn. Trickery always bested skills. Ria pinched her nose and sneezed out two streams of water. "That's not fair!" She bantered.
"Do you think the Undead fight fair?" Senn replied, "Or the Nether, or the many other dangers out in the world?" Senn started out of the pond.
Ria smiled. Yes, those were the stories Thalleous told them. Their adventures will be out there, but right now, they are stuck here.
She took Senn's hand and helped herself out of the pond. She noticed that Senn bent down to prevent Ria from using his trick. Together, they sat down on the grass and stared out at the green hills. Ria voiced out her fantasy. "And how are we going to get out there?" She too longed for the adventures that Thalleous always told them about. Life and her duties as the chief's daughter seemed so boring.
"One day we will," Senn stood up and plucked his sword from below the lily pads. "Somehow." He raised his sword again. Ria picked hers up from the shore, and they started sparring again.
At one especially long stroke of Ria's sword, Senn backed away. Ria charged at him, holding her sword high in mock-victory. As she neared him, Senn got down on one knee. Ria stopped. This was unusual.
"Ria Sendaris?"
The notches on Ria's antlers, three of them, were pulsating violently. It was as if a little deer was ramming around in her chest. What is Senn doing? Surely, surely, not with her father's disapproval… "Yes?" She inquired.
Senn took out a spear he hid between the bushes, the three notches down his antlers flashing slightly, "I made you something." He presented the spear to Ria. It was not the common kind, with an arrow head at the end. In its place, there was a small, pointed metal blade. "It's not the most beautiful weapon in Sendaria but…"
Ria took the weapon in her hands and twirled it around. "Senn, this is incredible, I love it!" She felt the weapon. It was so sleek, so perfectly balanced, so wonderful. After a brief moment of joy, she deflated and gave the spear back to Senn. "If father sees this, he's going to take it away."
Senn pushed his work back towards Ria. "Then I'll make you another." They both smiled. Senn raised his wooden sword. "Wanna try it out?"
"Of course!" Ria twirled her gift again, and it came to an attack position. "but now I'm going to destroy you with a weapon like this."
The two separated. Senn readied his battle stance as Ria started charging towards him. Ria raised her spear behind her and swung it over her head. Suddenly, "Ting!"
A blue diamond broad sword appeared out of nowhere and blocked the blade. A familiar voice rang out. "Our strength comes not from the power of our weapons, but rather how we choose to wield what power we have been given." The two young Ardoni both looked up.
"Thalleous?" Ria gasped.
Thalleous took the spear in his hand and felt it. Judging it a masterpiece, he asked, "Is this weapon your handiwork, Senn?"
Senn was a bit surprised. He quickly replied, "Yes, yes it is." Composing himself, he continued, "Your arrival is most welcome, Ky' Thalleous," he bowed, "but unexpected all the same."
Thalleous turned to address them both. They should have made some improvement since he was last here. "It was unexpected events which have led me here." He handed the weapon back to Ria, and asked Senn. "Is Ria still besting you?"
With a bit of pump to support his lie, Senn replied "No." Ria, however, said at the same time, "Yes."
Thalleous smiled. These two young Ardoni always stuck together. "It's a fine blade, Senn."
"Thank you." Senn said. Thalleous's horse approached and Senn, wanting to hide his crumbling straight face, rubbed him affectionately on the nose. "Hello, Timber."
Thalleous put on a more serious tone, and said, "Your father would not approve of this training."
Ria drooped her head. It was a disappointment to her as well. "I know."
Thalleous's smile broadened. "And he definitely would not want you to have what I am about to give you." Under his voice, he added, "You cannot tell anyone else about this."
Senn and Ria both leaned forward. "What did you bring us?"
Thalleous reached into his bag and took out two cubes. One golden, and one blue. Each had a shiny core inside its crystal-clear contents. Each had a pulse inside it, as if it was alive.
Ria held her hands to her mouth. "Songs? For us?" Her voice tremored with excitement and curiosity.
Thalleous handed the golden Song to Ria and the blue one to Senn. "In the old days it was common for Ardoni of your age to wield Songs." He explained, "It is our unique ability to harness their power. To deny their usage is to deny the very thing that makes us," He paused slightly, "Ardoni."
Senn was eager to try it out. "Will you teach us how to use them?" Thalleous had always told them stories of the Songs of old, and even showed them, once, how he used his Mobilium Song to teleport. It encased the warrior in dazzling golden circles and looked beautiful, in addition to awesome.
Thalleous, however, replied with an old wise man's air, "Patience, young ones. First, I have some important business to take care of." He lowered his voice. "Now remember, you cannot let Osivian know about…"
"Thalleous? is that you?" Osivian Sendaris came out of the back door to his house towards the group.
Thalleous quickly stepped between the young pair and the father. "Osivian!" Thalleous waved like a child caught stealing candy. Senn and Ria quickly hid their songs. "Apologies for arriving uninvited."
Osivian walked up and greeted Thalleous with a hug. "Thalleous! Sendaria is your home! You are always welcome here."
Then, as if super-cooled by a block of ice brought from the heart of Mt. Velgrin, he turned to Senn and Ria. "But YOU two!" His anger was quite audible. "I specifically told you to stay away from each other. Ria!" He pointed at his daughter. "You have too many responsibilities to go gallivanting off seeking danger!"
Ria cut him off. "I know, because I'm 'one of few surviving female Ardoni.'" She drawled, making quotation marks beside her head and tipping her head from left to right as if prattling a tale. "You've told me before." She rolled her eyes.
Osivian seemed not satisfied with his daughter's answer, but he was content for now. "And Senn," Senn startled. "I wish you would respect my wishes. I raised you as a member of this clan, even though by blood you are not." Senn lowers his head in submission.
Thalleous is not here on family issues. He blocked Osirian's view to bail out the young couple. "Alright, Osivian I think they've heard enough for today." Then with a very serious tone, he continued, "I have matters of great urgency to discuss with you."
Osivian nodded. "Then best we head indoors. You two!" He pointed at Senn and Ria. "Go back to your rooms and remain there until I summon you." He turned towards the door and walked in.
Thalleous, after an apologetic look at the young Ardoni, followed. Senn and Ria slunk back to their rooms.
On his bed, Senn pulled out his Song from his pocket and looked at it. Its pulsing seemed to quicken as he held it in his hand, vibrating slightly with a faint humming sound. Maybe that is why they call it a Song, because it really is. A beautiful melody that, he read from the books, attacks, supports, transports, and protects. The colors of the four kinds are red for Aggressium, green for Supporium, gold for Mobilium, and blue for Protisium. His is pulsing a royal blue color, so it must be a Protisium Song. "I wonder what it does." Senn thought. He placed the Song on his desk and started rummaging through a book on the various Songs to find his.
The night was crisp and clean. A smell of evening dew mingled with fresh grass lingered in the air. In the village, all was quiet, except for one thing.
A figure was stealthing towards the Song Shrine. These Shrines are where all Ardoni bond with their Songs. On the four sides of a round platform, stood four finger-like pillars, curving at the top towards the center, creating a holy dome over their heads. The Ardoni's markings were glowing light blue under the clear night sky. She mounted the steps and took out a golden pulsing cube. Moving to place it in one of the pillars, she held it forward. Then,
"Ria? What are you doing?" Senn had emerged onto the Shrine as well.
"What? Nothing." Ria replied, pulling away her Song and hiding it. "What are you doing?"
"Nothing." Senn slipped his Song into his pocket.
After a heartbeat, they looked at each other and smiled. There could be only one reason why the other was there. To test out the Songs Thalleous had given them during the day.
Ria finally spoke, though it pained her to do so. "Senn," she began, "Osivian is right about some things."
A bit bewildered, Senn asked, "What do you mean?"
Ria's antlers pulsed. "I'm one of the few remaining female Ardoni, and you are…" She searched for the right word. "Clan-less. We'll never be going on crazy adventures like the stories Thalleous tells." Her sadness was overwhelming now, and she felt like crying. She had grown up with Senn, known him ever since they were toddlers.
Ria detached Senn's gift, the spear, from the strap on her back. "Here, you'll probably want this back." She handed the weapon to Senn.
Senn closed Ria's fingers around the handle. "It was meant for you, Ria." He said. "Keep it." He pushed the spear back.
Ria looked into Senn's eyes. They were white, glowing softly under the moonlight. They meant the world to her. She saw Senn's conflict, his affection, his good heart. Still holding the spear, she enclosed Senn in an embrace.
Senn greeted Ria's hug. Ria was the closest person he had known, He wished they could stay forever like this. Looking into each other's eyes, and by each other's side.
After what seemed like eternity, they broke apart. Ria strapped the spear back on and took out her golden Song again.
"What do you think we should do?" She asked, staring at it.
"I think we should put it in one of the pillars?" Senn suggested, "I read it somewhere in a book."
Ria obliged. She placed her Song in one of the holes. "No, that's the wrong one." Senn whispered, shaking his hand. "I think golden Mobilium Songs should go in that one." He pointed to the pillar on their right.
Ria replaced her Song in the pillar Senn indicated. "Now what?" Senn thought the exact same thing. His readings said something about listening for the Song, but he wasn't sure what that meant. He shrugged.
"I don't know." Senn said. He had hoped something would happen by itself if they put the Songs in the Shrine. He looked up at the pillars trying to find some clue, but all he saw was the moon in the center of the sky.
"It's past midnight." Senn observed. "We must make it back to our rooms unless we want another lecture from Osivian." Ria nodded and retrieved her Song.
The two parted and Senn walked back to his room. As he was passing the main hall, Senn saw candle light dancing on the walls. At this hour? Then, he heard Thalleous's voice.
"They were Voltaris, Osivian. At least seven of them." Senn stopped dead in his tracks. Are the evil Voltaris returning? "A few weeks ago, I was invited by a scholar, Hawken, to visit him at the Walls of Time, and…" Senn listened in closer. He couldn't miss out on such a tale.