Treasured Keys by: Me, Regit (c)

[Regit192]

    
(JIC)                The Begining

      One hundred- fifty- three years ago, a magical wizard created the most powerfull objects in the whole world for the king of Bronslie. 
      The king ordered him to make three things: A ring that lets the holder be able to controll the elements. A sword that lets the beholder summon any type of monster you could ever imagine. And lastly, a mask. A mask that allows you to controll peoples' minds.   
     Rumers say he made a fourth object. A necklace able to make the wearer turn invisible. But alas, it's said only to be a myth.
      These objects were guilded out of the finest of materials. They were created with the most powerfull magic and were handed off to the king. He had absolute power over the entire world, although he kept to himself about it. Over time however, this knowledge of power led to corruption. Origionally crafted for the use of good and protection, the power from these objects overwhelmed the king and finally broke him down. Corrupt power got to the king. He went  berserk and insane. The king tried his best to gain dictatorship of the entire world. People rebeled in reaction.
       As a consequence, a whole war broke out in the world. Country versus country. Army versus army. Years this bloody battle went on. It only was done when the king had died.
      The king was murdered on his thrown. An assassin murdered him with a single golden dragon arrow to the heart. That arrow is one of the only known artifact from the war. Skeptics say it's a fraud though. Most people will never know if it truely is real or not.
      The wizard swore to keep the objects safe from all the world. He hid them in three sacred places over three countries. Stories say they are Bronslie, Salmino, and Robone. No one knows where of course. Many have tried to seek out the magical objects, yet no one has completed with success. Most seekers fail to live through the terrors that engulf the adventurers. 
     They're are three magical keys needed to unlock the hidden mysteries of the Three Sacreds. Those too have been hidden from the citizens since the battle. However, I have those three keys. And I, have been chosen to find the Sacreds before they get in the wrong hands. This is the story, from the eyes of the Chosen. 
      

[Regit192]

Chapter 2: Calmina
      
      It was 5:27 on a bright, sunny, June morning. A lound bang reverbered off Calia's walls as Kenneth barged into her roon. He slammed the small hand-designed door leading into the bedroom closed. "Calia! Calia, wake up! They're coming!" What a wonderfull start to a day.
      Calia Ailac rolled around in the bed as she rubbed her eyes with clenched fists. "Ughh... I don't wanna get up," she uttered. In truth, she didn't. Even though she heard the sternness and fright in her friend's voice, Calia didn't want to budge.
       Kenneth Marsten stood there fixated at the girl with his gold, wide eyes. Everything about him was golden. His hair, eyes, skin, even his personality was golden. Calia curled up into a ball, wrapped in a purple velvet blanket, sleep still lingered in her eyes.
       "I do not care! We have to go!" He wrapped his large hands around the relentless girl's ankles and tugged with all his strength to get her out of bed. Calia landed on her knees while ramming her head into the cherry wood bedframe. A loud thud came from both areas. She rubbed her head and groaned. This was no way to be woken up.
        "Kenney..." Calia hobbled up and ran her fingers smoothly through her hair and grabbed a hair brush. She straightened her red, cotton, short sleeved shirt and grabbed a cloak. The golden, lion-head clasp was clipped around her neck. The navy blue hood was pulled loosely over the chesnut brown, wavy hair. Still deathly tired, and a little shaky from being pulled out of bed, Calia managed to get ready as quick as she could. 
        "Who's coming Ken?" She interrogated. Her eyes squinted as she patiently waited for a reply. 
      Kenneth was flailing his arms all over the place and biting his lip. He does when he's excited or frightened, but Calia knew he was frightened. It was kind of funny watching him do that. He had a large build with broad shoulders. Kenny normally was very intimidating when he wasn't afraid. 
       "The Sorcades," he hissed and squinted his eyes. "They've come for you." He twisted his forest green cloak and pulled it around his broad shoulders. Kenny's teal sleves disappeared beneath  it and his leather chest vest.     
        "They found you! Now that you're sixteen, they can question you, interrogate you..." He paused as if he was meaning to be dramatic. "I heard that they say you know something, have something they want." He glanced back. His blond hair swept infront of his freckle splattered face. Suspicion, fear, and excitement mixed in his eyes as he glared at Calia. "What do you know?"
       Calia closed her eyes hard and cringed. She couldn't bare to look at her friend—let him see the fear whelm up inside her. Calia's bangs fell lightly and whispped in front of her eye. She truthfully did not fully know what they wanted. A vague idea came through her mind, but she didn't want to say anything due to fear that she might have been wrong. 
      Calia comes from a long line of roalty. She was Caliansy Aliac, Princess of Chestons. She was the only child her parents had. When they died, she was adopted by an extremely close family friend. Kenneth, their son, grew up with Calia. He protected her like he was a bodygaurd. He loved her like a sister. 
      When Calia grew up, she had everything she ever wanted. She loved it all, but one thing—only one—did she cherish. As she grew up, and over time, curiosity kicked in and Calia began to research. What she had was something everyone wanted, but no one knew she had them.
     "I...I don't know." The words slipped out of her mouth like it was full of molasses. Calia felt like she was going to throw up. She was nervous. Calia stared at her reflection in a bronze bordered mirror. Occasionally, she glanced and looked at Kenney's reflection standing behind her. Calia  wondered if he could read her emotions like she could read his. Like a picture book. She tried her best to hide them from him. Showing emotions is showing your weakness. Even if Kennry was a friend, you never know. 
       Calia flinched at the thought of Kenneth becoming a traitor. "Kay we'll go." She quickly grabbed a tan shoulder bag and packed it. Not knowing where they were going to go, she grabbed some water, food, money, and most importantly, her keys. 
       Calia had the keys since her parents died. They were given to her in a minuscule, compact, wooden box. It was engraved with a sparrow perched on a thorn covered shield. They were some of the weirdest keys she had ever seen. One was a literal Skeleton key. Its stalk was made to look like vertabra and the handle as a skull. The other two were fancy, tarnished, iron keys. They lay around her neck hiding in her shirt. She never let anyone see them. With not much thought, Calia was pretty sure these keys were what the Sorcades were after.  
       There was a vociferous slam on the parlor door. It was so loud and clear in the bedroom. The two jumped as the sound met their ears.
       "Calia...what ever happens out there, just keep running I'll find you." Kenney gripped her shoulders and gazed into her violet eyes. Calia stared back. She slung the bag over her shoulder and stepped back. "Ok."
      All Kenneth could think about was keeping Calia safe. He protected her this long, and didnt want that to end. He remembered the first day with her he could remember. "Sweety, this is Calia. She's going to be staying with us for a while," his mother once told him. Kenny remembered getting lost in her mystical eyes even at that young of an age. From then on, he pledged to never let her out of his sight. Ken knew he would never have a chance, so the best he could do was love her like a sister.
       Another bang came. "OPEN UP!!! WE KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE..." Men gathered outside the castle. Some where on foot, others were on horseback. They carried weapons of all kinds. Sowrds were the main weapon-of-choice.
      Calia looked at Kenney, he looked back. Her violet eyes dimmed with solemness. "We cant get out the normal way. We'll have to jump," She said shakily. Her eyed drifted to her window. She took a heavy sigh placed a hand on her chair.
       They smashed the bedroom window and jumped. A good fifteen foot fall they took. The friends left right as the clanmen broke down the barricade to the castle.
        "Calia? You alright?" Kenney rolled over and off a plant. He had landed on a rare Listolial plant. It went limp and collapsed under his weight. The shiney, rainbow flowers shattered on contact. The toxic dust blew away in the wind. You wouldn't want to inhale it. The dust it creates would make you hallucinate and go crazy. Sorcerers tend to use the dust in paralyzing potions and spells. Some even use it for evil; turning people crazy making others not believe anything they said.   
       "Yeah I'm fine. Let's just get to the stables quickly," Calia implied. She wanted to get away from the Sorcades. She also wanted to get off the stick tht was jabbing her side. Calia had fallen onto a bush. She shifted positions and fell off.
       Calia stumbled up catching her balance. She dustes off her butt and started toward the stables. Calia plucked out leaves and twigs from her hair as they were rushing. She grumbled and mumbled as she didnt like being forced from her home. 
      The two had to be sneaky so they wouldnt be seen. They slinked along the treeline of a thin dirt road that outlined Calia's castle. 
      As they were leaving, one of the Sorcades was heard saying something in Ishtalmaise. Ishtalmaise was a lost language that was extremely difficult to understand. Calia, however, wanted to learn this lost language so she taught herself. All she could make out was, "Löydä ne" or a rough translation to "Find them". Calia gulped as the words drifted into her head. She still only had the slightest idea of what they were looking for.
      Kenneth, on the otherhand, didnt hear. His thoughts only concerned of getting to safety. Kenneth didnt care about who was in the castle or what they were talking about, but he did know one thing for sure; those people in there would create harm to get what they wanted.
         Calia slipped into the voluminous, apple red, barn doors followed by Kenney. She took a heafty sigh and peaked behind the door back to the castle, wondering. -What do they want?- Those words whelmed up inside my dark abyss of solectial thoughts. Like serpents, lost at sea, but the only thing you could find. She then scrunched her nose and slid the doors closed.
        "Hey Princess," a monotone voice said behind the girl. Calia felt a hand landed roughly on her shoulder. In shock, she spun around and punched the person right in the gut.
      Pertion fell to the ground, hunched over. He cringed and muttered something under his breath.
       Calia dropped her head down. A blank expression spread on her face like an emotionless piece of paper yet to be written on. A sly grin appeared on her face. Calia chuckled and watched the boy.
      Kenneth watched the two with a smile on his face. It's been a while since he saw his old friend. 
        "Helloo Royalness." Pertion Joitrep sat in front of his friends. His voice was raspy and out of breath. 
      Pertion's leather chest piece was loosley clamped around his waits and his white shirt was ripped and grimey. His short, leather brown was hair all messed up. Dirt smeared on his cheek, right under his bright electric blue eyes.
        Calia couldnt help but laugh at the situation. Pertion was laying on the hay supporting himself up with his arms, smiling his goofy smile. It was hard to think he was seventeen. He didnt act if at all. 
      Calia held out her hand to help him up. "Sorry Pertion," she said. Her voice was sarcastic and sly, but humor and remorse hid beneath it also.
        Pertion laughed slyly and jumped up. He straightened his shirt. Pertion looked down to Calia who was a few inches shorter than her and said, "We'd best be on are way Cal." He laughed and tried to wiped the dirt off his face. He smudged it more though.
      Pertion turned to Kenneth and grabbed his shoulders. He shook them hard yelling, "Kenneth! How've ya been bud?" He chuckled and released his grasp. 
      Kenney went limp and let his friend shake him. His eyes rolled as he held his head. "You hurt my brain PJ," he said as he glared up at his friend. One eye was closed with pain.
        Calia chuckled and let the two friends converse. She went to an rickety harness rack in the back of the stables and grabbed one of them. "C'mon guys, we really have to hurry. They wont be much longer," she said as she lifted the harness up. Calia struggled to get the harness to their ride. "Umm quickly...help!" 
       The saddle was about the size of a small carrige. It was crafted out of leather, which made it much more heavier than normal saddles.
       After a harsh minute of struggling and intense pain of lifting, the group finally got the saddle onto their ride, Sombra. 
       Sombra is a dragon. Calia raised him from an egg. One day while she was off wandering the forest in her kingdom, Calia stumbled upon an odd shaped rock. She knelt down and curiously brushed away the leaves and decaying mulch of a fallen tree that were surrounding it. The rough stone glistened in the little light that shown through the trees. Calia instantly knew it wasnt a rock. Gingerly, she picked up the egg and examined it. It was spikey and covered with moss. 
      She sighed and wondered how it got all the way there. Calia ran back to her house carefully cradling the egg. From then on, she hatched and raised the mythical lizard. Calia was still stunned to see that she had successfully raised a said-to-be exticnt creature.
       Sombra is gigantic nontheless. He is about the length of ten carriages with their horses and as tall as the mast on a grand sailboat. He might  even be taller. Sombra's scaley skin glistened and reflected the light making his mossy green color shine, dotted with rainbow shimmers. Two snow white horns were perched on the top of his head. His own weapons in duel and protection. His opal eyes were staring at the people as they hauled the harness over to him. When he gaped his mouth open, two rows of razor sharp tearing utensils stared you right in the face. When his mouth shuts, on each side of his face, the two top row canines show. They jut from his upper lip like icicles. Ever so often, small cloudy whisps of smoke rise from his nostrils. He might seem all harmful and brutal, and that's exactly how Calia wanted it to be. But in truth, he's the Teddy Bear of the dragon kind. Only when in a battle or protecting his partner, would he be evil as can be. 
        Calia climbed on to Sombra's back and sat in one of the saddle seats. The saddle was so large because it had multiple seats. They are all lined with pouches too.  
      "Comon guys!" Calia called out to her mates. Pertion and Kenney stepped up onto his leg and up to his back. 
      "Jeez Cal! He's huge! What have you been feeding him," Pertion questioned. His eyes boggled out of his head. 
      Calia was amazed that they didnt realize Sombra was there. They were probably too busy roughhousing to notice. She chuckled at the thought and smiled.
       Calia turned backwards. "People." A sly grin appeared on her face. It wasnt true though. She fed him an assortment of wildlife animals that are abundant in her forests. She mainly fed him deer and other animals in that famiy. 
      Calia turned back around. -He's so gullible- She thought to herself.  Pertion laughed hysterically, but there was a scared whince at the end. 
        "Hold on tight men." Right before Calia hit the reins, she paused and thought for a moment. "Wait!" She gasped as she slid off of Sombra. He growled and grunted as she slid down his leg. Calia ran to a storage rack on the opposite side of the barn and grabbed four dusty objects perched carefully against a rotting part of the wall. Weapons. Sowrds and daggers. Protection against the evil forces that are going to act upon them on their journey to seek the truth.
      "Calia! Hey Princess whatchya doing," Joitrep turned around and cracked his fingers. His blue eyes flashed with curiosity. Calia payed no attention to her intuitive friend. He's always asking questions; wanting to gain more knowledge. Calia was secretly proud that he asked all the questions. He asked the questions Calia wanted to ask, but never did.
       Calia scaled back up onto Sombra. She dropped into her saddle and whirled around so she was facing behind. She watche her friends as inticipations filled them. She smiled slyly and bit her lip. Calia Glanced forward and grabbed two objects.
      "Here ya go!" Calia passed each of them a weapon. She was hesitant at first, not trusting that the boys would treat them properly, but she gave in and handed them off. 
      Pertion got an elegently carved bow. He is an extreme marksmen. His skills are unimaginable. Kenneth got a medium sized sword. Its handle was etched with a bird perched on a thorn covered sheild. 
      "These are really special. They were passed down through my family for a very long time," Calia told them. "Please treat them with respect." 
      Calia draped her sword over her shoulder. It had a midnight-black colored blade. It looked like onix. She also placed a small, gold-handled dragon dagger in her pocket. Its handle was the head of a dragon and the blade was rippled like a Chinese Dragon's tail. 
      Calia wiped the red-orange rust and dust off her hands onto her deep blue pants. She lightly grabbed hold of the reins and looked back. She observed Pertion and Kenneth admiring their newly obtained weapons.  
      "You might want to hold on tight now. We're leaving! First stop, Calmina!" Calia raised up her right arm like she was charging for battle and chuckled. She hit the reins with a snap and Sombra jerked up. He roared loudly and pawed the ground. His claws dug through the dirt leaving five lines behind. The reins clinked and tincked as Sombra ground and moved the metal mouth parts around.
      "Easy boy," Calia whispered as she stroked his smooth, yet adamantine skin. Pertion and Kenneth were holing on for dear life. Their knuckles turned white as a winter hare when Sombra stood up and clawed the ground.
      They've never rode a dragon before. Most people never have. Dragons were thought to be extinct. They're very rare and picky creatures. They'll only let the one they trust handle them. That person doesnt have to be the one who hatched and raised it. Since Calia raised Sombra from a hatchling very well, he's trusted her all his life. Dragons can also tell who you trust and your feeling towards others. 
      There are also many myths about dragons. One myth is that only pure-hearted people can hatch them. Another is that if their flame is extinguished, the dragon will die. There is another legend that dragons of any spiecies can learn to congure other types of dragon breath. Ice, fire, water, dark, light, and life are the assortment of breaths a dragon is fabled to be able to learn. 
      Sombra tilted his head so he could see Calia. Dragons are highly protective of the ones they trust. He scanned the others and let out a huff. Swirls of smoke rose from his nostrils. He knew Calia trusted the boys. He bobbed his head as he got ready to leave.
       "Haha you guys are going to love this," Calia said sarcastically and busted out laughing. She pulled the reins once again. They made a loud snap sound that echoed through the barn. "Come on buddy! On to Calmina!!" 
      Sombra nauncholantly strutted out of the building. He stretched his leathery, emerald green wings and beat them until they soared away. They left right in time for the Sorcades to miss the group take off. 
      Calia pulled a pair copper tinted goggles over her eyes as her hood flapped backwards in the wind. Earlier before they left Calia had handed everyone a leather aviator helmet with goggles. They would protect them from wind, rain, bugs and the sun. 
      Calia's pair belonged to her dad and grandad. They loved flying. They did anything they could to be able to fly.
      The other two pairs she gave to Kenneth and Pertion were old ones she had. 
       Everyone was silent. No one said anything most of the flight. They were all too mesmerized with what the society wanted from Calia. 
        "Hey Calia, when are we going to get there?" Pertion scanned the around. His eyes followed a flock of birds next to us disappear into the water. We were over the Grandance Sea. Sombra skimmed the water with one of his muscular claws. Our reflections rippled in the water as his claw left the sea.
        Calia twisted around. "We'll be there soon," she said softly, but loud enough for him to hear. She gave a smile and looked back.
        Out of the corner of her eye, Calia saw a dark, ominous shadow lurking in the water. She recognized it as a Faltimo. They are a very large type of water serpent that's local to the Grandance Sea. It seems as if it were trying to help protect them. Like it knew they group was in danger. It swished it's tail and sent water spraying up at the group. Everyone shrinked back as the water hit them not wanting to get wet.
       "Just pay attention for the Sorcades. They'll be doing anything to find us now." Calia tightened her grip on the reins. Her hands began to sweat as thoughts raced through her head. Calia's heartbeat suddenly started to go faster and faster. -They were on the run. They were running from the most known society know for their brutality and secrecy.- She thought to herself.
       Sombra knew something was wrong. He grunted and swerved up to the clouds above. 
       It was such a beautiful day in Samlino, the land they were in. The sun shown bright in the sky, beaming down on everything. It glared in the water and lit up Sombra's stomach even though they were up high in the sky.
      Palpinos flew in the sky next to the bohemouth of a dragon. Their blue feathers disappeared into the bright baby blue background camoflauging them.
      Below, the Faltimo continued to follow they group. It occasionally blew bubbles in the green sea. 
      They finally reached Calmina about an hour or two after departure. It was so beautiful. The forests were lush with tall Brandom trees. Their purple leaves blowing in the wind.  Bright yellow flowers with hot pink middles dotted the purple background. Those flowers are great for making anti-paralyzing potions. Spattered here and there, was a multitude of Quantil plants; with their mossy, slimey mouths snapping around trying to get the flies buzzing around them. What a beautiful sight it is to fly over Calmina! It's like nothing you have ever seen before! In Chestons, there are plants, but not so exotic!
      "Kay guys. We are finally here." Calia gave a sigh of relief. Sombra slowly landed. Back paws first, front second.
      Calia released Sombra's reins and slid off his side. "Thanks buddy," she whispered. "Once they get off, you can fly away. But come back if I whistle for you ok," Calia said in a stern voice. His eyes brightened as she spoke to him.  
       Pertion and Kenneth slid off next to Calia. Smiles filled their faces. "Man that was awesome," Kenneth said with pride. He started to clap and jump up and down. His hat flaps fluttered with the breeze. 
       Pertion lifted his goggles and took his hat off. His brown hair stuck up in the front like a duck tail. He ran his fingers through it and flattened it in the back. 
      "Sheesh! I never thought that that would be so fun!!!" He shoved his gear into a animal skin pouch, slung around his shoulder. It circled around as he spun it to his side. 
      His father made it for him before he died. It was deer skin. Pertion and his father hunted that deer for Pertion's tenth  birthday. He has treasured it ever since his dad perished in a freak boating accident. Some people actually believe the Sorcades had something to do with it, but no one knows for sure.
      Calia pet Sombra's snout and smiled slightly. He took off  with a beating of his wings. The wind nearly knocked the teens off their feet. Calia shaded her eyes and watched him glide away grinning. As he flew into the distance, he gave a great roar and disappeared.
       Kenney grabbed my hat and shook it on my head. He chuckled and said, "You look funny with that hat." He put his arm on Calia's shoulder and grinned. He always used her as an arm rest. 
      Calia laughed and took his arm off her shoulder. She turned and looked into the distance. 
      "Let's countinue on our adventure," She said in a hesitant voice. Calia knew it would be a dangerous journey now. They were being hunted by one of the most feared, secret, "doesn't exist", societies. 
      Calia trotted off the sandy brown beach. Pertion stopped, kneeled down and picked up a flat, smooth, skipping stone. Kenney also bent over, but he picked up a round shell that looked as if it was a piece from a sunset. Calia stopped and watched the two of them be little kids. She smiled as she waited. After their attention distraction fit was over, they were off into the rainforest. 
      The posse walked about three miles then stopped to rest. They happened upon a small running waterfall and pool. 
      "Whoa...." That's all anyone could get out of their mouths. Jaws hung like they were unhinged at the joint. They just gawked wide-eyed and in awe.
      The sight was spectacular. The clear water flowed smoothly through the rocks. Water crashed down into the sparkling clean pool laying under the fall. Everyone was used to the viney castles, sparse trees, and colblestone lanes in Chestons. There was nothing like what they were seeing unfold infrot of their eyes right then and there.
      Calia opened her bag and grabbed a clear container. She leaped onto a large rock that layed by the water. She sat right by the liquid crystal. Calia paused and watched her reflection ripple. It almost seemed as if an image of a grand castle with a gorgeous assortment of decorations appeared. Calia shook her head and dipped the cup into the water incase they might need it for later. She twisted it's black lid on and lightly placed it into the canvas bag.
      Kenneth and Pertion watched Calia from a distance. They were a tad frightened, but curious on what their pal was going to do. 
      Pertion hit Kenneth lightly in the should as he watched Calia. "How long you've known her," he asked, biting his lip. 
      Kenney looked at him. He tilted his head up to he could see Pertion better. "Since we were youngins. Why?" Worryness washed out his face. 
      Pertion scanned the area. "Just wonderin'," he said as he rubbed the back of his head.
      Meanwhile, Calia was enjoying the refreshing water. "This water feels so nice," she exclaimed as she took her dripping arm out of the pool. Caliansy pulled her knees to her chest as she untied her boots. She gently placed them behind her along with her socks and dunked her feet into the cool water. She leaned her head back and basked in the sun. Calia's face radiated with the golden sunshine. 
      On the outside, Calia seemes fully relaxed, but on the inside, things were much different. Her mind turned into a flurry or feathers and dust as it was all out of order. She tried to plan what she would do to keep her friends safe and out of harms way. If anything were to happen to them, Calia would go insane.
      Pertion and Kenney sat on each side of Calia. They both dipped their fingers into the liquid before relaxing.
       Kenney piled his cloak up behind Calia. Pertion threw his vest into the pile too. They heavily sunk their feet into the cool aqua colored joy and sighed in relief. They laid there with their eyes closed gleaming with enjoyment.
      "Man Princess, that does feel nice," Pertion exhaled. His face glowed with happiness. He looked over to me with his large icy eyes.
      Kenney just sat there grinning. His legs floated in the pool and his head was rested on his hands as he laid down on his back.
        Ten minutes past before they left. No one wanted to go but they had to get to civilization. Calia ran out of food. It was hard keeping two teenage guy full and happy.
       "C'mon guys we best be off." Calia hopped up and grabbed her bag. She threw her cloak and shoes into it so she wouldn't have to carry them. Calia is anything but lady-like. Even for a princess. People dont expect that. They expect her to be posh and perfect. However, Kenneth and Pertion understand. 
      "Hey won't people recognize you with out your cloak?" Pertion looked over at Calia from his left. He kicked a smooth, grey stone on the pathway we were traveling on. Calia watched the rock skip along the ground and slip under a bush.
       "Phht. They won't notice me." Calia turned and faced them. Kenny was staring at the ground move under his feet while Pertion just laid his eyes upon me. "But I really don't care if they do. I just don't want them to make a big racket out of me. Oh by the way, I know a good place to stay. It's a small tavern that also supplies housing. I've got connections." Cali giggled and faced forward again.
      On their trip, they didnt talk about things that were of any importance. They talked of where they would go, what they would do. They discussed questions of life and death. They got distractes by the scenery. But most of all, they walked silently.
        A few hours later the teens came to the edge of the forest. Sweat was dripping down ther faces and dirt smeared on their feet. Calia pushed aside some leave and branches to reveal Calmina. 
      "This," Calia said as she faced Pertion and Kenneth and spanned her arm out, "is Calmina." 
      Calmina is a gorgeous city- town. It's vast, red cobblestone road crawled around the town like a river. Buildings lined the street, sticking close to each other, shoulder to shoulder. Their business signs protruded out of the store fronts.
       Riding down the cobblestone roads were horse-drawn carriages, covered by ornate blue, gold, red, green, all colour painted tops. Horses of all different types cloped and galloped around. 
       Ladies were elegantly dressed in the finest dresses and frilled hats, while gentlemen were wearing full tuxedoes and top hats. Everyone was walking the streets either with "gem" encrusted canes, silk umbrellas, or fancy fans. Not everyone though. Some people were dressed in home- sewn clothes or other non finest clothes. They were the working class citizens. 
      The kids stuck out like a poor runt of the litter. Everyone was eyeing them like they had three heads each.
      Pertion and Kenney stared in awe. Their eyes boggled out of their heads. They couldn't believe the sight. In Chestons, it's nothing like this. Houses are spread apart with my castle in the middle. There're small cobblestone and dirt roads, not large red cobblestone. Downtown, the stores were in a small group. It was a general market.   
      "Jeez. This place is so...so fancy." Pertion slid his fingers through his hair, which made it all messed up. "We are definitely going to stick out." 
      Kenney wiped dirt off of his teal shirt and put his cloak back on. "I might as well wear this right now." He tied the string around his neck and buckled the buckle around his waist. He pulled the silky hood over his bright gold hair.
     Calia started toward the town. It was nearing dusk. The purple sky glistened with the early bird stars. 
      Out of the corner of her eye, Calia spotted some guys in cloaks leaving by horseback. She knew they were Sorcades. Calia made them hide in the shadows and slinked their way to That Place, a tavern Calia's family friend owns.
      "Why'd we hide all the way here," Kenneth asked, his golden eyes glistened in the moonlight. He flipped his sandy hair out of his face as he leaned againt a wall waiting for Calia's answer. 
      "I saw, I think I saw, some of the Sorcades. They rode off on horseback, but I don't know if they truly left." Calia stared at Kenney while talking. She turned slightly and gazed at the moon. 
      "I still don't know why they want me." Her violet eyes shinned as it reflected the lights above. In truth, she had an idea.
      Calia led the guys to the tavern. She pushed open the small, yet ornate, wooden doors and headed inside. It was chaotic. Most of the people there were drunk and fighting. They made their way through, pushing and shoving people. The occasional having-to-yell-at-someone came around. However, no one didn't want to get in a fight with these guys. They are huge, mean, and drunk. They are not the type of people you would want to pick a rumble with.
      "Hey Heff. Can we get a seat in the back?" Calia was standing at the cash register/ bar area.
       Heff, Heff McRaldo, is a very bulky family friend of Calia. He knew her parents before they died. He has a huge handlebar mustache and is bald. So bald his heads shinney. He's always wearing his tavern uniform; a brown shirt with a green vest, and blue trousers. His muscles buldge in his arms, yet he doesn't act tough when with family and friends. 
      "Whatchya tiny kingdom peoples like yourselves doing here at this time," he snarled with his Saltron accent.
      Saltron is the country in which he came from. He arched an eyebrow waiting for a response. Heff leaned on the counter and wiped the inside of a glass dry. He set it with the othe clean ones and started to dry another.
      Kenneth looked up feebly. "W-we need somewhere to sit." His voice shaked as the words left his mouth.
      Calia chuckled a little. "Kenney, Heff wont hurt you. He likes to act all tough when around other people. He's just a soft teddy bear." I crossed and rested my arms on the speckled, brown, granite counter. 
      "I need not to tell you why we're here," I hissed with a sarcastic voice.
"But can we please get a seat in the back? We really don't want to be with all these drunks." While Calia spoke this, she gazed at him with puppy dog eyes. Everyone instantly falls for it other than Heff. He has learned to ignore Calia's pleading face.
        Calia spun her head around and watched all the tussles that were going on. It was so loud we could barely hear eachother. There were glasses clanging, people yelling, tables being hit, obnoxious laughter. Every noisy noise you can hear in a tavern was there at once.
      Heff muttered under his breath. A drunk at the end of the bar asked for another glass. He sounded as if he was about to go unconcious. Heff took out a glass mug form under the bar next to the brass cash register. He filled it up to the brim with frothy, cool, brown ale.
       "Ere ya go man." Heff passed the glass down the bar and grunted. "Fine now." He turned around and looked through a tiny, circular window to the back of the tavern. He scratched the back of his head and turned back to us. "Last booth to yer right Calia." He rolled up his brown sleeves and went back to work.
       They clan nauncholantly walked over to the booth and plopped themselves down in the wooden seats. Everyone rested their elbows on the hickory table and sighed.  Everyone was silent.
       "So...." Pertion tapped his fingers on the table. His head was resting on his hand as he stared at Calia. A faint hint of frightfullness washed through his bright blue eyes. 
       It started to rain out side. Storm clouds were brewing in. Rain pounded the windows as the friends ordered food. Lightning lit up our menus. Kenney jumped at a large clap of thunder.