1) Are You Afraid?

My mother used to tell me stories of the old world, a mysterious world, a magical world, where different races lived in harmony. From elves to dwarves, goblins to ogres, vampires to humans and other mythical creatures inhabited the lush grasslands to the mountains. A representative from each of the six races formed a council and kept the peace.

However, darkness infested the land of Aaa. Fear, hatred and corruption separated the races. They lost their trust in each other and a tyrant of a king rose above all. Xerich Larx, more commonly known as the Lich, took over Aaa by betraying the other council members and started the Mushroom war centuries ago. He was able to take over the land thanks to the power of necromancy and deceit which also allowed him to surpass the limits of mortal life. The Mushroom War earned its name when he cast a spell on mushrooms and spread them throughout Aaa. A natural parasite, it would cause anyone who ate it, drank it's poison or breathed in its toxins unimaginable pain. With this act, Xerich Larx declared war on the citizens of Aaa.

With his undead army, he was able to bring down the monarchs of the races, completely wipe out the goblin race and run the dwarves into hiding with the elves. The vampires mysteriously disappeared and the orcs joined Larx. The elves have managed to keep their power thanks to the mountain range that protected them from the reign of the Lich. Xerich once tried to invade the lands of these proud races but his invasion army, with consisted of half the ogre race and most of his undead soldiers, mysteriously disappeared in the Thornwood forest that surrounded the Obsidian mountain range. Rumor had it that he feared the dangerous natural formations and would not send another soldier in its clutches.

Humans lived in fear as ogre soldiers roamed the streets of their villages for hundreds of years. They collected taxes from the already poverty stricken farm people and wreaked havoc where ever they wanted. Great cities fell, the ruins of the castle that once protected the human monarchs lay in the outskirts of Terrafoire, where the skeletons of its royal inhabitants still remained. Humans lived in constant paranoia, unable to contact the elves and dwarves for help. People lost hope and prayed to Glob for peace, for a hero that will stop Xerich Larx. This is the story of that hero.

"Cake! I'm going hunting!" I yelled at my sister as I grabbed my bow and a couple arrows.

"Fionna, you can't just run around with a weapon like that! It's unladylike!" My sister yelled back at me.

"Hahaha! Fionna? Lady like? Hahahaha!" A small black haired girl laughed on the floor rolling laughing.

This is my family. Three orphan girls brought together by the pain of losing their families and the need for companionship. Cake, short for Cassandra Cakeshire, is a short twenty seven year old woman from the western coast of Aaa. She is a darker shade than I am. She also has soft brown eyes, white hair with light brown ends. She is an incredible seamstress, able to design and sew together a beautiful dress in a day. We met Geemo Techlithe when her village was raided by orcs. Her mother begged us to take her on our travels and keep her safe. Now she is a ten year old girl with straight black hair braided into a bun. Her teal eyes sparkled with playfulness as she brought smiles to the inhabitants of our village, Terrafoire. Both of them sported the dresses made in the tailoring shop we lived in. The Needlesworth shop was founded by the grandmother of Mrs. Margaret, Cake's mistress who took her as an apprentice and gave us a place to live. She said that this shop was built when Terrafoire was only a few years old. Our shop was also out home. It stood next to Trent Trunks's bakery and Lance Chromicorn's shop which sold horse supplies. Lance was also Cake's boyfriend.

"If you get caught by the ogre soldiers-" Cake started

"Which is why I won't get caught," I retorted. "I'll be fine! I've done this plenty of times,"

"Okay but be back by sunset. You need to deliver Lord Sedric Pindlebottom's new suit," she sighed back, defeated.

"LSP's suit? Fine, I'll deliver it. After I bring back some meat," I said over my shoulder as I stepped into the November afternoon. I cursed the dress I was wearing. Cake insisted on it so I wasn't mistaken for a man. I mean, who hunts in a stupid dress! I managed to convince her to make it short and lessen some of the lace. The sleeves were loose and reached to my elbows. It was a blue dress that had some white frills around it and white bunny stitched over the heart. It showed a little more of my chest than I wanted it to and and hugged my waist to "show off my curves" as Cake put it. She doesn't realize that maybe, just maybe, I'm not that kind of girl. The skirt of the dress swished around over the black pants and boots that I wore over them. My dark brown cloak covered my frame as I held the bow and arrows in my arms.

Soldiers of both human and ogre race always roamed the streets, mostly human though. There were only three ogres here, ogre generals that led Xerich's armies. They were just a bunch of good for nothing airheads that pushed everyone around. They didn't want us hunting because they wanted us to buy the overpriced meat in the market. However, I was never caught and everyone who knew about my hunting trips kept their secrets because they always get part of the kill.

I passed by many different cottages and gazed at the ruins of the fallen castle of human monarchs, whose names were long forgotten by history. I had to cross through the town square to avoid the soldiers. I wrapped my cloak around me tighter because most of them were drunk even this early into the night. Sometimes they would get in fights with each other or the other men in the village. Sometimes they would grab the closest woman, tear her clothes off and perform adultery actions right there, sometimes in front of their husbands or children. I gritted my teeth in anger when the memory of them grabbing Cake returned. She was walking home with Lance and Geemo but a drunk human soldier grabbed her. Lance fought for her while Geemo ran home but was easily outmatched. The soldier almost slit his throat but I arrived just in time to stop the soldier with an arrow. Unfortunately, Lance's throat was injured and he was unable to speak. A hooded man saw me shoot the arrow and took my bow then told us to run. Cake helped Lance limp home while Geemo kept a look out for other soldiers. I was reluctant to leave my bow with this man. I couldn't tell who he was but he pushed me away roughly as others soldiers saw their ally on the ground. What happened between that man and the soldiers remained a mystery to me. However, I found my bow on the table the next morning.

I made my way towards the massive forest, more famously known as the Night o'Sphere, that ran through the northern border of Aaa, then towards the Obsidian mountains to the east. It was said by storytellers that it was the largest forest in the world, covering half of the continent of Aaa and reached all the way to the ocean. It was also rumored that in the heart of the forest was the ruins of the once proud Vampyre race. No one has ever come back from a trip to the Night o'Sphere's heart. Cake has depicted many legends about them. She characterized them as the epitomes of bloodlust and animalism. To her, they were savages but sometimes I would catch her giggling over vampire romance novels. I was convinced that vampires were her worst fear above anything though. I myself didn't know what to think of them. All I know is they disappeared after the Mushroom War.

I never ventured far into the trees of the forest, no matter how much I wanted to. I longed to see the ruins of the vampires and what became of the the most powerful race of Aaa. The forest finally came to view and I stopped right before stepping into its shadows. Thornwood was very dense and legends of magical creatures always attracted adventurers but most never returned. It was the small section of not-as-dense woods leading into the Night o'Sphere. I have been coming to this forest every chance I could. It was almost like a second home, almost. The fresh scent of lush vegetation hit my nose and the need to be free built up inside me. A smile spread through my face as I loaded an arrow on my bow. I charged straight into the thick forest, looking for my prey.

It was about three hours until sundown and it wasn't until the middle of the second hour that I found a target. A small deer that probably came up to my chest shot through the trees. Small enough for me to carry home without too many problems. I left my spot on the trees and jumped from branch to branch. It was fast, obviously running from something. The branches of the Thornwood were close enough for me to be able to keep up with it. My height of five feet, six inches also helped me maneuver in tree tops. A piercing howl cut through trees, stopping us both. Suddenly, a larger doe appeared behind a bush just as a wolf came out from under me. The small deer ran behind its mother as the wolf snarled at them. For something to do, I loaded my bow as my breathing got heavy. Memories of a mother dying to protect her child flashed before my eyes. I shut them tight and pushed back those memories as my eyes started stinging. I opened my eyes and saw the wolf pounce. I let the arrow go and the wolf fell with a whelp, an arrow jutted out of its left eye. I watched as both mother and fawn bounded away to where a large deer with massive antlers appeared. I watched the family and felt emptiness wash over me. I wiped away the tears that I had no idea ran down my cheek. I looked back and they were gone.

I made my way back stopping only to shoot down a wild turkey I happened to pass by. With the kill wrapped up in my pack, I made my way back to town. After dodging behind a couple barrels to hide from the guards, I quickly found myself in the butcher shop. I walked into the small room and waited in a corner. There were two other people there, a father and a son who just bought a flank of cow from Bilius, more famously known as Meat Man. I sat in one of the wooden tables buttressed by a barrel, careful to keep my kill hidden. The man shouldered the wrapped meat and left as his son skipped behind him. A smile spread through my face as I watched the little boy's face light up from the abundance of food his family just received. "Fionna! Welcome back to my shop! Come to the back," Meat Man exclaimed, nodding towards the back of the shop.

My eyes watched the heavy set man as he locked the front door, telling all the customers that the building was closed. I followed him through the back door and the frozen meat hanging from the ceiling. His son, Grieg, was cutting up a pig in the far wall of the back room. "Alright, let's see what ya hauled in today," Bilius said, looking at me.

"Not much, sorry. I, uh, got sidetracked," I mumbled sheepishly as I produced the turkey from my cloak. "Common turkey near the forest's edge,"

"Ah don' worry to much about it. 'S not like ya coulda brought somethin' bigger. If yeh did, yeh would've been caught,"

I gave him a smile, still a bit guilty. He went near the stove where different types of meat were being cooked. Meat Man took three of the rotisserie ducks, strung them up and handed them to me. "Whoa, wait. Don't you think this is too much for that turkey?" I stuttered as I held the delicious poultry in my hands.

"'S a house special. I need yeh ter promise me somethin', Fionna. Don' go huntin' fer the rest o' the week," he whispered as he bent down to my level. "People 'ave been whisperin' about 'em soldiers. There's been rumors tha' old Lich is sendin' more troops 'ere," he said under his breath.

"More soldiers? Why?!"

"I can't tell yeh. All yeh need ter know is tha' Terrafoire will be swarmin' with 'undreds o' 'em soldiers. Best ya stay home, stay safe. 'Ere 'ave some more food. Yeh an' yeh sisters stay inside and don' leave the house fer the week. Now go! Git on home!" He whispered urgently.

"But-!" I started but he was pushing me out.

"Ere, take this," he said. He produced a choker made of silver. An intricate design of black and silver encircled the accessory. A blood red gem that dominated the jewelry shone in the setting sun. Small black beads hanging from its base gave the resemblance of a royal chandelier. I gasped. I have never been interested in jewelry but this choker was beautiful beyond anything. "Don' show it ter anyone. Only ter someone yeh trust yeh life ter 'nd protect yeh,"

"Protect me?" I asked, my headed was drowning in questions. Why were the soldiers coming? Why can't he tell me? Why do we have to hide? Why is he giving me this jewel that is only worthy to worn by a queen? "What is going on?"

"Go on, get home" Meat Man said before shutting the door. I hid the jewel in one of the various folds of my dress and ran home. My head was drowning in millions of questions. I shut my eyes and my legs took me back to the Needlesworth just as the sun disappeared in the horizon. I sighed and slipped through the door, prepared for a major tongue lashing from Cake.

"Fionna Velvètierre!" Cake roared as soon as the door clicked right behind me. "Where in Aaa have you been? I said to be here before sunset not after! Do you have any idea how worried I was? I almost got half the village to look for you! Don't you do this ag-"

"Cake!" I yelled at her, interrupting her rant. I was not in the mood for her nagging. "How old am I?"

"Ei-eighteen," Cake stuttered, this was the first time I screamed at her and I'm regretting it. Since I started this, I may as well see it through the end.

"That's right. I can take care of myself. I'm sorry for screaming at you. I got held by Meat Man, he, uh, told me a new place to hunt." I explained quickly, trying to hide the fact that I just screamed at her.

"You're right. You're more than old enough to take care of yourself. I'm sorry baby."

"I'm sorry too," I replied, pulling her into a hug.

"Oh shoot, Lord Pindlebottom's suit!"

"Ugh, Cake!" I groaned and pulled away from the hug. "Can't I deliver it tomorrow?" It was nighttime already and I was still shaken about Meat Man's warning.

"No, he demanded to get it tonight,"

"Alright, Fine," I huffed. "Oh here's food for the next week," I added handing her the rotisserie ducks. Before she could have asked any questions, I grabbed the boxed suit and ran out.

The Pindlebottoms were like aristocrats of Terrafoire as well as kiss ups to ogre generals. Lord Sedric hated his parents for it. He constantly ran away from them. He would be a pretty good guy if it weren't for his attitude. He likes gossip a little too much for a guy but he's still a good friend. However, right now I'm really not in the mood for his drama. I just wanted to deliver the suit and leave. They lived near the center of town and as always Sedric was just sitting on the front steps of his manner. His face lit when he saw me with the box in my hands. He jumped right up and waited for me to reach the steps.

"Oh Fionna it's so good to see you again!" LSP exclaimed.

"Hey LSP. Nice to see you too,"

"C'mon stop calling me that! I told you to call me 'Sedric'!" He whined, crossing his arms.

"Yeah yeah Sedric," I sneered. "Anyways, here's your dress robe. I'd love to stay and chat but its getting dark so I'm gonna head home."

"No! It's too dangerous! Why don't you stay the night here? You'll be safe," he blurted out.

I stared at him wide eyed. What is wrong with everyone today? I hunt almost everyday in the forest. I am more than capable of taking myself. Why is everyone trying to protect me? "Listen Sedric, I'll be fine. Don't worry about me, besides, the Needlesworth isn't that far away. I'll be careful,"

"Alright," he mumbled but had a worried look on his face. I turned around and started walking towards my home. I swear I could feel LSP's worried eyes on my back until I turned the corner. My legs carried me through the cobblestone streets but my mind was somewhere else. I hid in a small alley and took out the choker Meat Man gave me. I stayed in the shadow of a wagon of lumber and fiddled the jewel between my fingers. Why was it given to me? What was its purpose? Where did such a beautiful jewel hail from?

The sound of clanking armour and slurred laughter jerked me back to reality. Soldiers. Human, I think. Oh, hang on a second, that deep laughter sounds ogre. This is bad! They're drunk and I'm alone. One, two, three humans and an ogre. I can't take them, and I don't even have a weapon me. Crud! I hid the jewel back in my dress and crawled through the shadows. I crawled under a couple wooden boards but I soon found out they weren't nailed down. I angled my shoulders passed them but my hips were a different story. My hips nudged the boards, making them fall on the cobblestone, basically signaling where I was.

"What was that?"

"It came from over there. Let's check it out," the human voices were followed by the sound of clanking metal boots. I shrank as close as I can to the wall. A torch from around the corner of the house blinded me. "Well look what we got here," a gruff voice said. "A cute little blonde," the man called to his allies. I felt a gloved grab my hair, hoist me up and throw on the lighted road. I grunted in pain and felt blood run down the left side of my face.

I felt large course fingers pinch my cheeks and force my face up. "She's cute. Nice and thick, unlike the other whores around. Hehe," a raspy grunt came out. The scent of rotten flesh hit my nose. "The name's Urgic. Wanna open those legs for me gorgeous?" I slapped his hand away, jumped back and spat in his face. With the back of my hand, I wiped away the blood that obscured my eyesight. "You've got some fight. I like that, hehe," Urgic said as he stood his full height. He towered over the other soldiers, who were about six feet tall, at eight feet. Sharp yellow teeth jutted out from between his lips, tiny beetle eyes stared at me hungrily as the lights from the torches threw shadows at his green skin, making him appear more menacing. He wore a chest plate that bore the Larx crest and a spiked club rested in his hip.

The three soldiers surrounded me, stripping me with their eyes. My own blue eyes frantically searched for a weapon, anything I can use to protect myself. Suddenly, one of them grabbed my shoulder and my reflexes kicked in. I grabbed the hand on my shoulder and flipped him over my head. I then jumped up and drop kicked the soldier on my left. Just as those soldiers were getting back up, I cartwheeled and axe kicked the last soldier. Before I could have registered what had happened, I felt air knocked out of me as a couple ribs on my right side cracked. I saw the wall hurling towards me and a sickening thud was heard on impact. My body fell on the ground, heaving, gasping for air and coughing out blood. Painful groans left my mouth when the ogre's rough skinned fingers wrapped around my neck.

"Allow me to properly introduce myself, wench," he hissed venomusly. "I am Urgic Worksson, one of the thirteen legendary generals of the proud ogre race,"

"If you're so proud," I rasped. "Why are you being ordered around by one person and follow him blindly, like the filthy mutts you are!" I hissed at him, gasping for breath, and I knew I hit a nerve. He let out an angry roar and gripped my body tightly, squeezing the very life out of me. Bones cracking sent waves of pain surging through my body as screams left my mouth. The grip loosened and I fell to the ground. My body was sprawled on the cobblestone, gasping for breath as the taste of copper filled my mouth. Hands slipped down my dress. The ogre's hands spread my legs open. I tried to scream but my voice was stuck in my throat. Their dirty hands groped my body and I couldn't do anything about it. I was defenseless, helpless, hopeless.

A sob escaped my mouth then the hands that were violating me jerked away. I heard the swishing of a cloak in the background of grunts and the pounding of fists to bodies. I mustered up the strength to get up from my pathetic position on the ground and looked up. A tall, dark hooded figure was engaging the imperial soldiers. I crawled towards the wall, pulled myself up using one of the planks of wood and propped myself against the wall, trying to stay strong despite all the pain resonating through me. An animalistic roar erupted from the ogre's chest as he charged my rescuer, the soldiers were down on the ground. Urgic raised his weapon high and brought it crashing down on the figure's shoulders. Instead of doubling over in pain, the hooded person grabbed the club, somehow avoiding the spikes, and gripped it tight in his hand. I watched in awe as Urgic tried to yank his weapon away from his enemy but failed. The figure was very strong because the wooden club broke under his grip. One of the soldiers regained consciousness and threw a sword towards the mysterious person. The hooded figure easily dodged it and appeared behind the soldier, looming over him. With a sickening crack, the soldier's neck was broken. The other two soldiers woke up but was easily killed by the stranger.

Urgic's eyes shone with anger as he let out another animalistic scream and set his eyes on me. I shrank into the wall as he charged towards me. I shut my eyes tight and waited for pain consume me and take my life. Instead of crushing agony, I felt a cold but gentle arm snake around my waist and pull me towards its master. I let go of the breath I was holding and inhaled, a sweet scent of pine needles filled my lungs. My blue irises snapped open. My body was pressed against the body of the man that was saving me. His left arm held me close, protectively, while the other stopped the enraged ogre in his tracks. He squeezed the monster's head until it cracked. Urgic reared back in pain. The man gently set me back on my position at the wall and turned to face the green skinned jerk. He pounced on the ogre's shoulders and ripped his arm off. I watched in blood curling horror as the foul stench of the ogre' black blood reeked through the alley. The man ripped him apart limb by limb. At last the ogre collapsed, without a single resemblance to what it once was.

The man jumped off of his back and landed in a crouching position a couple feet in front of me. His hood fell off and I was able to drink in his features. He ws very tall, around six feet, three inches. He wore a white shirt whose sleeves were rolled up, a black leather vest with black leather pants. His raven locks were long enough to cover his eyes and ears. They swished in front his face as his black leather boots walked towards me. I felt my knees buckle from under me but strong hands grabbed my wrists and pinned them against the wall. I looked up to see my rescuer's face so close to my own. I was mesmerized by his deep scarlet eyes and the strawberry scent of his breath was intoxicating. His lips parted to reveal a pair of elongated canines.

My breathing became shallow as I fought to keep my consciousness and focus. My eyes widened as he leaned down closing the distance between us. "You know what I am," he breathed alluringly to my lips but not touching them. My fingers curled and my body tensed up when I felt cold lips graze my collarbone. He explored my collarbone, then my chest. His lips slid up to my jawline and trace it to my ear. I felt him pinch my earlobes between his lips, nibbling on them. He guided my wrists over my head and pinned them both with his left hand while his right hand slowly slid down my back and to my waist. His fangs grazed the area where my neck and shoulders met, sending shivers down my body. My heart hammered against my ribcage. "Your heart is racing," his deep husky voice purred as he rubbed his nose over the skin covering the area of where the heart should be. I threw my head back, my mind swimming in these strange sensations surging through my body. A moan escaped from my lips when his fangs scraped my exposed throat. He kissed that area and suckled. "Are you afraid?" he breathed on the wet spot, making lose my mind.

"No," I panted out. I felt him tense in surprise and pull back. Wide scarlet eyes stared into my blue ones, shock was plastered on his face. I watched his fangs disappear behind his lips. I stared as he half lidded his eyes. I observed the scarlet hue of his eyes darken to an obsidian shade and a warm smile that spread through his face as I slipped into dark unconsciousness.