Even after Kirakah transcribed her account of saving The West Side Castle, word spread through the innocent ones of Akerion about her victory. The Owloian village as well as the castle’s residents often spoke of her and her abilities to defeat evil. Time went on and sure enough the news spread to those who wandered between the villages, and that included those who had contact with the residents of The East Side Castle.

The days that followed consisted of her exploring Akerion and encountering some danger. The beasts she met were mostly like the Zirkos she encountered before, but since she did not discover little danger she figured it was time to give the other castle a visit and introduce herself. What she didn’t expect was to receive an invitation that held great honor.

It happened on a peaceful day, Akerion’s bright white sun shined through the transparent windows of The Old Haven and the protector held her sword in her lap. Watching the rays of light bounce off the surface of the sword, she smiled at the beauty of it then quickly looked at the door of her home as she heard a gentle knocking sound. She kept her eyes wide open, but not sensing danger she set her weapon aside and opened the door to see someone with a piece of silver colored paper in her hand.
She was a comely young woman with straight, long blonde hair that fell down behind her shoulders and to the small of her back. Her green eyes flickered in delight and enhanced her fair face as she smiled in greeting. Her clothes were somewhat casual though, a white tunic tied to her waste by a red belt was all she wore to enhance her form. Regardless of what she wore, Kirakah was impressed by her nice demeanor as she spoke, “You are the protector, I assume?” she politely asked.

“Yes.” She returned the smile, “Protector of the innocent ones of Akerion.”

The young girl blushed slightly, as if Kirakah’s reputation proceeded her, “Then I humbly extend this invitation from the royal court of The East Side Castle.” Extending her right hand, she prompted Kirakah to take the letter. “It is an honor and I am asked to watch you read this.”

“Then you shall.” She replied and took the invitation from her. In a script that was familiar to her, she saw the words:



The protector extended the letter back to the young girl, “Well written, and something that would be hard to turn down. When will the declaration take place?”

The girl gently pushed Kirakah’s hand away, letting her keep the letter, “Three nights from now, and the directions to the castle are transcribed on the back.” She then began to giggle gleefully, “I will tell the court you are coming!”

“Anything in particular I should prepare for, or just bring myself?”

“Oh just bring yourself Beauty, and prepare for nothing. The court will be happy to meet you.”

Bowing politely, the girl turned around and quickly crossed over the brown lake with a smile. “If she is as pleasant as the others, this will be a good visit.” She muttered and headed back into her home.

The days passed quickly and the directions to the castle were precise. Being quick of thought, Kirakah followed the correct paths eastward and traveled through the bamboo forests until she reached a giant clearing where the castle stood. It was not as large as The West Side Castle, but upon seeing the fortress, Kirakah was easily marveled by its appearance. The outer walls were white, but shimmered under Akerion’s sun and as the light hit the outside, soft colors of green, red, blue and yellow swirled in a beautiful pattern for everyone to see. It was almost magical, but could easily be explained as the spectrum of light being split to give it an aesthetic look. Yet as she looked on, she surveyed the two large circular buildings which were the main parts of the castle, and had at least three levels within them where light shined through glass windows. In between the buildings was a smaller one shaped like a triangle and held what looked to be an entrance of some sort.

“Nice.” She smiled and walked on toward the entrance. With a few quick strides, she came to a large gray, oval shaped door that was already opened. As she stepped into the room, a small crowd of people quickly came to greet her.

There were seven and each one wore robes in the colors of white and red. The fabric itself shimmered like the walls outside of the castle, making Kirakah think that while these people were fortunate enough to find safety in the castle, they were also fortunate enough to dote on their appearances. Each robe was interlaced with silver and red trim in a pattern that was unique and comely. Most of them held fair hair and faces, much like the girl who delivered the messages. Yet it was a man who stood up and quickly bowed in greeting.

“We are The Court of the East Side Castle and I am Querak, the current king.” He then assumed his normal height and smiled, “I assume you are the Protector of Akerion, the new one who will save many innocent lives in this dangerous world.”

The king’s appearance was very comely, much like the rest of the others. His hair was long and blonde, and well kept as it flowed past his shoulders. His eyes were brown and flickered to compliment a friendly expression and his robes held more trim than the others. After surveying him again, she responded, “Yes I am, and I am pleased to accept the invitation. However, you look rather young for a king…for one, that has ruled for fifty years?”

Querak chuckled a little, “I only reigned for half that time, my father reigned for the other. He wanted me to have the experience, and the responsibility.”

“I see.” She remarked, “But still, your wisdom does not show through your age.”

“The royal court does what it can to run the castle efficiently for the residents and that is our only stress. Years and years ago it was surmised that this castle was constructed to be a ‘safe zone’ where many creatures would not go. We attribute it to our architecture and the beauty of our outer walls. Some say that the way how the light shines forth from our fortress, frightens many creatures away.”

Kirakah gave them an odd look, “That would seem unlikely that the mere appearance of your home would keep you safe.”

The king did not affirm her remark nor protest it but proudly stated, “We pride ourselves on beauty, as well as survival, and we are glad to have you bear witness. For you are indeed a beautiful one, and a courageous one as well.”

“But surface beauty is not courageous. I only hope your ‘safe zone’ does not fail one day. Perhaps more research needs to be done about the safety of your castle.”

“Perhaps.” He replied, “But for now, you are asked to bear witness for those who wish to be the future king.”

“Yes.” One of the women amongst the court proclaimed, “And we must prepare you now. The young men who present their challenges will be dressed in black, and we’ll need to dress you as a member of the court instead. Forgive us for the inconvenience, but we have your robe ready.”

“That is no problem.” The protector responded but was quick to pat the belt around her waist, “Assuming I can still keep my sword at my side, it never leaves me.”

The Crystalan Sword was sheathed and hidden from view, but its shape was apparent as attention was brought to it. “Normally weapons are not allowed within this building, but an exception will be made for you.”

She politely bowed her head and addressed the woman, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome Protector. Now let me show you your robe as the room is prepared.”

Kirakah extended her hand and followed the woman to a door that led to a smaller room. The walls were white and plain, but to her right stood the robes to wear. “They’re like the others.”

She replied, “But should you need help dressing, just call my name. I am Herlena and like the rest of the court, I am at your service.”

“Thank you.” She said, “But I think I can handle this.”

In respect, Herlena slightly bowed and stepped out.

The robes were not complicated and after removing her black suit she easily slide them on over her head. They were loose fitting and as they swirled around her body, the protector smiled at the colors as they flowed over the white fabric. “Appearances aren’t everything though.” She muttered as she reached forward for the belt and the scabbard attached to it. “I hope that’s what they believe.” She said as she opened the door.

The room that she entered was much nicer as a long, silver colored table shined before her. Underneath the table were white chairs that looked to be wooden, but were ornately carved to reveal abstract shapes in a beautiful pattern. Ornate were the words that came to mind as she saw the court members take their seats. The rest of the room seemed rather non descript, except for the walls that shimmered like the same walls on the outside of the castle. But as Kirakah looked around, she saw a larger chair, of the same design, that was near the center of the table.

“The seat for the witness.” Querak gestured to the chair, “The candidates will arrive soon.”

After nodding to the king in acknowledgment, she sat down, mindful of her sword that rested on her hip. It was then Querak continued to address her, “The court of the castle has held these challenges for many generations to determine the new royal families. It’s unsure of when the tradition started, but after the tasks are completed, it will be decided who is worthy to rule.”
“On what basis is the decision made exactly?” The protector asked, her curiosity growing.

“The challenges presented seek to help others within the castle, or related to it. After the tasks are done the court takes in account how the challenge was beneficial, and if the challenger acted with honor, respect, strength and courage.”

“It still sounds rather subjective though.” Kirakah commented, “What happens if the court decides that two, or even three people have both made great beneficial contributions and therefore are tied for the position?”

“Then if both contestants refuse to stand down, there is a fight to the death to settle who will rule.”

For a moment her eyes went wide as she gave the king a cross glance, “That in itself, does not sound very compassionate.”

“If neither one stands down, they both know of the consequences. They have a choice to take a chance or leave it.”

“Well, I respect your ways, but as a protector I do not agree with such bloodshed.”

“And we respect you as a protector, and as such, you are our honored witness. Your job is simple, once the candidates describe what they want to do, you will affirm that their quest has been witnessed, and is honorable.”

“And here they come.” Herlena interrupted the conversation. Kirakah’s attention was quickly drawn to the door as five young men entered.

Each stood in a single file line and each one was dressed in a long, black tunic with a red sash around their waists. With slow, soft steps they walked about five feet and paused. After they were all inside, they bowed their heads until Querak said in a loud, firm voice, “Candidate one, bow before the court, identify yourself and your purpose.”

The first youth who approached was of medium height. His hair was black and short which ended just above his ears. His eyes were brown as he surveyed the court for a brief moment before bowing in a slow, regal fashion. After bowing his head, he smiled at Kirakah and the others in a polite manner, and spoke humbly, “My name is Bernono and I come forth to declare my quest. My family and I have lived in The East Side Castle for as long as I can remember and we are proud to take part in the system that provides water to most of the residents. However, some find it hard to obtain water as the system often does not provide enough pressure to suit everyone’s needs. It is my desire to improve our water system through adding another duct and pump which will benefit us all. Through a lot of studying, I have laid the plans to design such a system. I am confident I can build it in the time allowed.”

Kirakah paused after he spoke, taking in each word and afterward, gave a brief smile, “Your declaration has been witnessed.”
“And your quest has been accepted.” The king replied, “Next please.”

The second one approached the table. His appearance was much like the first except that his face appeared a bit more angular and his eyes a bit more wide. Perhaps his eyes stood out from the way that he addressed the court with awe as he humbly bowed his head before the others. After a few seconds, his head rose and watched Kirakah for a while longer before saying, “I am Cerlon, and I would like to declare my quest. As I have long been a fortunate resident of The East Side Castle, I have noticed that many children, including some from our ally The West Side Castle, should be educated to read and write our script. It is my wish to take upon the task of educating seven children from our castle and three from the other to read and write in the language that we use to record our history. Education serves everyone who benefits from it, and I hope that the gratitude that I earn will prove my worth to rule.”

Kirakah smiled at the man’s humble nature and nodded in agreement, “A very noble task you will accomplish, and one that will benefit many others. Your declaration has been witnessed.”

“And your quest has been accepted.” The king replied, “Next please.”

The third candidate approached the court with a slightly quicker stride. He was a bit taller than the others and held broad shoulders, revealing he had more strength and was more physically fit than most. His light brown hair did little to detract from his comely appearance and was twisted into one thick braid and neatly fell to the small of his back. His eyes flickered over the table for a moment until they came to rest on the protector. It was then he flashed her a confident smile. “I am Sakanor, and I will declare my quest.”

Kirakah nodded in acknowledgment but couldn’t help notice how his stance shifted a bit as he pushed back his shoulders and stood taller. He was a strong man, and had no problem showing such a virtue, “Knowledge is imperative to survival but so are other things. Though the residents do not fear much evil outside the castle, you and I are both aware of the dangerous creatures that do exist. Therefore I declare that I WILL slay two Zirkos and bring the heads to the court as proof. This task is dangerous, but I will succeed.”

Having fought many of the beasts herself, Kirakah managed to stifle her chuckling. This man could certainly complete his quest, but she was concerned about his overconfidence.

Nevertheless she replied, “Your declaration has been witnessed.”

“And your quest has been accepted.” The king said, “Next please.”
 
The fourth candidate was of a smaller build, but his blue eyes held some strength and a lot of compassion as he gazed at the court. His appearance was not awe inspiring, but his short blonde hair was neatly cut behind his ears and his tunic neatly pressed. With a medium sized build, he didn’t seem to hold muscular features like his predecessor but gently said, “I am Weleno, and I will declare my quest. As a fortunate resident of The East Side Castle, I know we appear immune to many dangers. Yet the danger of sickness may arise at anytime. I know little of magic but what I do know of medicine, I believe I can create poultices that will heal a person who may fall ill. These poultices will be created by me and I will create ten. Once they are created, I will give them to the court. When someone grows ill, it will be the discretion of the court to use the poultice or not.”

“Healing the sick is indeed a noble deed.” Kirakah commented, “Your declaration has been witnessed.”

“And your quest is accepted.” The king replied, “Last candidate please.”

The last candidate stepped forward with little hesitation. His appearance was almost as comely as the third, and besides being a few inches shorter, his build was the same. Yet he did not seem to radiate the same overconfidence as he slowly bowed before the others and slowly rose to nod to Kirakah. His hair was long as well, but black and free flowing as it reached down his back in dark waves. His eyes were also dark, a deep shade of brown in fact and as Kirakah looked at them, her curiosity began to grow.

He seemed rather sure of himself as he folded his hands behind his back. He nodded again and flashed the protector a genuine smile as he said, “I am Jerlik, and I will declare my quest.” He then paused to clear his throat again and took a deep breath.
The pausing concerned Kirakah for a moment as she wondered if he hesitated, but in reaction she calmly said, “Please continue.”

          Jerlik exhaled a brief sigh in an attempt to get rid of any anxiety, “Appearance is important to residents of the castle, including the royal court. This is definitely justified for if you look at our home and those within, our beauty rivals almost no one.” Jerlik blushed for a moment as he looked at Kirakah again, “Almost no one.”

The protector was not going to take this as a moment to flatter herself or anyone else but again said, “Please continue.”

“Because of this, six former residents have quested to find the Sap of Youth. This legendary sap is within a grove of black trees that are hard to find. So hard to find, that no one has returned from the journey. Yet if one possesses the sap, it is said that the beauty of one’s appearance will never fade until they die, and even then they will always appear beautiful…never looking old. My quest is to find the trees, collect the sap within them, and present it to the court.”

The protector’s eyes opened wide at this request. She couldn’t help but interject, “To risk your life to bring eternal beauty to the others? Is this really what you want to do? All of these tasks seem hard, but what you present seems more difficult than the others. Even with battling three Zirkos you might have more of a chance of survival than wandering into unknown territory where no one has returned.”

The court narrowed their eyes at the protector. Even though she had a good point, most witnesses never questioned a declaration. In reaction, the king said, “True it is dangerous, but if this is what he wishes it shall be so. The court could certainly benefit from such a gift.”

“Then I will witness it on one condition.”

At that comment, the court members couldn’t help but begin to whisper amongst themselves. A few remarks such as, ‘What is she saying?’ and ‘There should be no debate about this’ were heard until the king raised his hand, “What is your condition Protector?” he asked after silencing the court with a gesture.

“Jerlik’s task seems the one that is the most impossible since obviously others have tried this, but no one has succeeded before. I ask if he does not return home within three weeks, that I will venture forth and try to find him. Whether he comes back with the sap or not is not my concern, but I want to be sure that he will not spill his own blood on this quest.”

The king smiled and said, “Each quest has three months to be completed. If you are concerned about the welfare of one of our residents, we can not object but we do appreciate your concern.”

“As long as you do not help him obtain the sap, but only help him not risk his life.” Herlena added, “Your condition is acceptable.”

The protector nodded and smiled at Jerlik, “Then your declaration is witnessed. But please return within three weeks.”

“And all quests are accepted. Each candidate will have three months to complete the quest or the quest will be considered a failure. After three months, we will judge who will rule The East Side Castle.”

The candidates all bowed their heads respectfully and began to walk out the door. Kirakah watched them for a moment until she turned her attention to the court. "I hold no fear or regret by announcing my condition. I want to make that clear to the court."

Upon hearing her firm words, the king couldn't help but sigh, "It was made clear protector and it was honored. Yet we cannot help but be slightly distraught by your statement. Never in our history has any declaration been questioned, in any way shape or form."

"And you were the first to do so." Herlena pronounced, "It is only through your good intentions that we were not offended."

"I am the protector of all innocent life on this world. Knowing that Jerlik has a great chance of loosing this quest, and possibly his life, I had to do what was right."

"Saving his life would be a noble cause, if his life was at risk."

"And I will take a moment to determine just what risk he is going to take." She stood up and looked at the court again, "This `sap' that would keep you and your court beautiful and young looking would more than likely come at a very high price. I only hope that you realize survival is most priceless thing one can find on this world."

The entire court paused for a moment after hearing her words. Kirakah feared nothing and did not even hold much awe for the royalty. Finding someone like this was a rare occasion for them, but knowing her intentions were good, they merely bowed their heads in respect as she went into the other room to change clothes and leave the castle.

She knew the candidates were embarking on their quests now and did not feel this was a good opportunity to waste time. The room where she went into was private and gave her a moment to slip from her robes and into the black suit she wore each day. A sigh of relief escaped her lips as she finished sliding into her outfit. "Nekana should be able to give me some advice." She muttered as she stepped outside, giving the court only a slight nod. They were beginning to disperse as she said, "Within three weeks, we should know." and quickly headed back towards The Old Haven.

A few random thoughts entered her mind as she ran away at a moderate speed. There was no need to fear for her safety, but there was a need to be concerned about the safety of another. "Such reverence for beauty." She muttered, "And neglect for survival. I truly hope the castle will stand for the next generation."

Yet she didn't let any despair enter her mind as her home came into sight. Knowing The Old Troll's house was high above, she looked around for a way to jump toward the entrance. "She might not hear me if I yelled for the rope." She muttered and after looking about, found a tree on the other side of the bridge in front of her home. After running across the bridge, she quickly took note of a large limb that she could jump upon. "Time this just right." She told herself as she landed on the limb, and then jumped forward on another with perfect grace.

"As long as the evil ones don't jump on these limbs, she should be fine." The protector commented as she jumped upon another, which was about six feet from the one she needed to use to cross into her mentor's home. The last jump was easy, the limb only shaking slightly beneath her feet, and with a confident smile, Kirakah entered Nekana's home.

As usual, The Old Troll was seated before her table with a variety of scrolls laid out before her. At most times she could be seen either reviewing the scrolls she had, documenting her studies on blank scrolls, or creating new potions that she mostly kept secret.

She looked away from her reading toward her ward and offered her a smile. "Come closer my child." She greeted, "With how quickly you entered my home, I can tell something is on your mind."

"Yes Nekana." She replied and sat beside her on the floor. Most of the chairs the troll sat upon were too small for anyone, save her, and the protector was not looking for comfort at this moment, "I was invited to The East Side Castle to witness the declarations of those who wish to rule now. Each one seemed a relatively easy task to complete, save for one that would be near impossible."

Nekana couldn't help but snicker for a moment as she sat a few scrolls aside. Making sure she gave Kirakah her full attention, she stated, "Nothing is easy on this world and you should know that.  I'm sure that you also learned more about the residents of the castle themselves. They are rather lucky, but I believe there is no luck on this planet…only coincidence."

"True." She replied, "But they have faith in their luxurious life and believe the preservation of beauty is priceless. Comely appearance can be a virtue Nekana, if one has the time to dote upon such things."

"You were blessed with beauty from the Akons to help inspire awe in others Kirakah and your appearance was inspired by one of the Amazing Akerians before you. I do not think now is the time to go into detail about such things but with awe, comes the possibility of authority."

"And it's MY authority to make sure that innocent life on this planet is preserved." Kirakah said with insistence.

"Yes my child." She replied, "But get to your point, you are rather concerned about something."

"One of the candidates, named Jerlik, wishes to pursue The Sap of Youth. Have you heard of such a thing?"

Nekana sighed and sat back in her chair, "Sadly yes." She replied, "And I know more about this than any resident in The East Side Castle. Though other residents have tried to find it before because it is indeed true that it can preserve one's beauty. Though it will not extend one's life, it will make their appearance youthful forever."

The protector smiled slightly, but just for a moment as her mentor continued, "In all the history of Akerion, it has rarely been obtained. There is a reason for that. The Sap of Youth is found inside black trees that form a large grove of about thirty of forty, at least that is the number I have heard of. However these trees are the homes of another village of Akerion, that remains undiscovered for the most part. The residents are called Drulegians and the trees are their life. They live inside them, if the trees are near, they can easily become invisible to almost any eye, and should anything happen to their trees, they would easily kill to defend them."

Kirakah's eyes grew wide at her last statement, "Easily kill? So that is the reason why no one has ever succeeded in retrieving the sap."

"Many many years ago a few were able to retrieve the sap and survive. I do not have a written account of what they said but sure enough the two men used the sap on their faces and as thirty years passed, their faces never aged. Since this sap was sacred to them, they went into hiding with it and never returned. They were not residents of the castle however and not much is known of them, save that they proved that this sap does indeed keep a comely appearance."

"But other than that, it has no use."

"With what is known, that is correct my child, save for the Drulegians. You see, they are so attached to their trees that to them, the sap IS their own blood. So you can easily see how so many quests for the sap has failed. If one is even lucky enough to cut the tree, a head will roll."

"With no second thought."

"Exactly. Unfortunately there are no samples of the sap to study so it could have other benefits, but those benefits may never be known."

"Well, since the village is only protecting the trees, they would not be considered evil."

"They would be considered innocent ones, and likewise would be considered ones that you should protect. But you also have a duty to Jerlik as well, at least I can assume you expressed that to the court, correct?"

Kirakah smiled at the question, "You know me too well. Yes I told the court that if Jerlik did not return within three weeks, I would go look for him."

Nekana chuckled for a moment, "Probably one of the first times anyone has interfered with one of the candidate's quests."
"It is not the quest I will interfere in, but to save his life I will."

"Then no need sitting here talking about it." The Old Troll replied, "It should not be that hard to find the grove of trees but once the grove is found, many never come back to speak of it. The trees are pitch black, same color as the sap itself, and if you head northeast, you will likely find them. Your bearing should probably be kept at an angle when you first leave this area, but I have faith it will not take you long to find the Drulegians. You, unlike Jerlik, should survive the encounter. However I fear he will not, especially if he attempts to cut the trees."

"Well like you said, there is no need sitting here talking about it." Kirakah said as she stood up, "I'm going.  I know I told the court three weeks, but now I’m not wasting time."

"Wait." Her mentor called out, "I should give you something that might help. On the shelf against the wall behind me, there is a small yellow vial. Find it."

Looking behind her, Kirakah glanced at a series of wooden shelves that held a variety of containers and scrolls. After a few moments, she easily found a small, bright yellow vial with a cork at the top. It was somewhat oval shaped and stood only a few inches high. Taking it, she replied, "Found it. What is it?"

"Inside is a serum that should heal a large cut in one of their trees. If you are not fast enough to stop Jerlik from cutting the tree, you should be able to mend any damage he does. That is, unless he manages to cut the entire tree down. It is only made to heal something no longer than six inches in length and width."

"Well hopefully I won't have to use it and I'll be able to return it to you."

"If you do not, I will hold no offense child. Now go, Jerlik's welfare is in your hands, but remember the Drulegians are not evil, they are merely protective."

“Let’s just hope their protective nature is not as fierce as I fear.” She replied after taking the vial and putting it into the pocket of her suit. “But enough talking about it, I’m out of here.”

“As you should be child.” Nekana said as she watched her ward step outside of the door. “I hope that it will not take you long for you to reach the village.”

Kirakah shook her head as she stood just outside of the troll’s home, “No, I do not think it will.”

Yet there was no reason to test that theory. Looking away from the branch she stood on, she found a limb that was seven feet above the ground and about ten feet away. Taking a leap, she grabbed hold of the limb and after a few seconds, gently dropped to the ground where her adventure was about to begin.

The gray dirt met her feet with no resistance as she decided to travel on, at an angle, to the northeast. Though Akerion’s white sun began to grow dimmer, she was determined to find the trees while they could easily be seen. The path she took started out rather wide, three feet to be exact and consistently flanked with tall, gray bamboo. Yet the more she traveled on, the more narrow the path became until she found herself weaving in and out of the bamboo stalks.

“I assume this area is rather uncharted.” She muttered to herself. Though it was hard to determine who made most of the paths in Akerion’s bamboo forests, it was easy to note that where there was no path, very few ventured. Yet as the stalks came closer and closer, she unsheathed her sword and began to cut them down. Even though she was traveling in unfamiliar areas, no need to make things more difficult.

Time passed after a while and though she grew bored, she remained alert and in the distance heard someone say, “No…listen to me, I didn’t come to harm you.” She stopped hacking away at the stalks and tried to focus more on the voice and where it was coming from, “Listen to me!” it shouted and the sound rang familiar to her. Though it held a desperate tone, it was male and even resembled Jerlik’s voice.

Realizing this, the protector quickly picked up her pace and ran in the direction of where she heard the voice. Her strides were fast and as a result, it did not take a long time for a grove of tall, black trees to be seen in the distance. They stood at least twenty feet tall and looked healthy for the most part. Their long limbs extended high overhead that blocked out a lot of the sun and the gray leaves upon them were not brittle, but wide and healthy as they reached down toward the ground where a small group of humanoids stood.

In a few seconds Kirakah was able to quickly assess the scene. Where one of the larger trees stood Jerlik kneeled before a group of people who looked different from anyone the protector ever saw before. Their clothing was nothing more than a tunic made of small bamboo stalks woven together by small hemp ropes in a fashion that was not necessarily comely, but effective in keeping them clothed. However it was not their garb that caught her attention but it was the color of their skin and their eyes. Unlike most Akerians whose skin was very white and fair, their skin was a light brown color and their eyes were as black as the trees that surrounded them. Their hair was the same dark color and their expressions revealed ferocity as two of them pointed long spears, shaped out of bamboo stalks, toward Jerlik.

And their ferocity indeed inspired fear in the young man. In reaction, she quickly grabbed the large knife that appeared to be closer to one of the roots of the tree. As he grabbed the knife, two of the humanoids pulled back and began to throw their spears. It was then the protector knew she had to react quickly. Taking long strides, she began to close the distance between her and the others but before she could stand before Jerlik, she threw her sword to intercept the two spears. Before the others knew what happened, the spears were easily cut in two and Kirakah appeared putting herself between Jerlik and the tribe.
“I am Kirakah protector of Akerion and this man is under my protection. For what reason do you wish to harm him?”

A few of the humanoids took hold of a few bamboo spears that were nearby and began to point them in her direction. She did not fear this but only replied, “And I do not wish you harm, but pierce my flesh with your spears and I cannot guarantee that.”

“Who are you?” One of them said. The words were easy enough for her to understand and to them she replied, “Protector of Akerion as I told you. It is my duty to protect those who are innocent on this world.”

“Then you should not be protecting him for he has harmed our tree! Some of our trees are already dying for reasons unknown and he wishes to harm a healthy one.”

“You are the Drulegian tribe, are you not?”

The man she was talking to began to lower his spear and gave her a curious glance, “Yes, but how do you know of us?”

“I have my resources.” She replied, “Now put down your weapons and let’s see how I can also help you.”

A few of the Drulegians began to mutter amongst themselves but finally, they set their spears aside. “Speak…and if you know anything about us, you know we are very protective of our trees.”

“Yes I do.” She said and reached into her pocket to pull out the yellow vial, “This will heal any wound that my friend here did to your tree.

“The one right next to your friend.” He replied. “But be quick about it. He cut deeply into the root.”

          Kirakah looked near Jerlik and sure enough, a large tree root was cut. From the root black sap began to flow from it and she could only surmise that this was the sap of youth. She did not see any vials of the sap so assumed that Jerlik did not have time to gather it. For now that was the least of her concern though. She knelt next to the tree and uncorked the vial. The tribe looked at her both with curiosity and anxiety as she poured the liquid onto the cut. For a few seconds nothing happened but then the sap stopped flowing and the bark began to stretch over the cut. The tree was healing itself.

         With a smile she put the empty vial to the side and told the others, “The sap of these trees is known for preserving beauty and youth.”

         “But to us our trees are more important. Their blood flows, and so do ours. We do not care for the beauty of others, we only want to live in harmony inside this grove.” He gestured to the others and in reaction, they pulled their spears back. It was then he continued, “We live inside these trees, we hide in and around them. If they breathe, we breathe. It’s a cycle of life and nature that no one else on this world can understand. So you have to understand why we felt we must kill your friend. By cutting the tree, he cut us…he wanted to make us bleed.”

       “We all bleed, but what matters is who heals and who doesn’t.” Kirakah replied, “Yet I understand being protective and I would not fault you for it. Yet as a protector I must ask, did you say that some of your other trees were sick?”
        “That is correct.” He replied, “And we have no idea why.”

         The smile again returned to her lips, “Then perhaps I should solve this mystery. Care to show me the trees, after a proper introduction of course. You already know who I am.”

         A pleasant expression covered his features and he bowed in greeting. “I am Elono, chief of the Drulegian tribe. If you could heal the other trees, we could be in your debt.”

          “Then take me to them.” She quickly requested. In reaction Elono gestured to his right and pointed in the distance. They were not far from where the group was standing and looked unlike the others. . Though they stood dark and tall, their branches held no leaves and what limbs they had, looked much smaller and brittle compared to the others. She walked closer to them and when she only stood a foot away, she could see more problems. The bark that surrounded the tree was falling off and the wood underneath it looked as it if was rotting. What would be healthy wood inside the bark, was not smooth but brittle. The sap that might of flowed behind it no longer flowed, but was dried as it was evident the tree was dying. She sighed and took a step back to look at the trees around it. Two more were showing the same symptoms. She didn’t take more time to examine the others, knowing the same thing was happening to them.

         “Yes, I can certainly see a problem here.” The protector replied. She then looked back to Elono, “What have you done to solve this problem?”

         He only shrugged in response, “What can be done? This has never happened before.”

         Kirakah didn’t have much of an idea herself but decided to take a step back. “Trees live by their roots, this much we all know, and roots go into the ground.” She muttered. Standing somewhat close to the tree, she began to stomp the ground a few times. The stomp created a loud sound, but not as she expected. She slammed her foot down again then looked over at Jerlik, “Sounds different here, as if the ground is hollow.”

         He looked at her quizzically then shook his head, “What do you mean by that Kirakah? Hollow ground, that doesn’t make any sense.”

         “Then do me a favor and take one of your feet and since you’re standing a good distance away, stomp the ground hard. Then tell me if it sounds different from what you heard.”

          “If that’s what you wish.” He said after rolling his eyes. With a grunt, he mustered up all his strength and stomped the ground with his foot. The thud that he heard was a loud one, but different from the one that Kirakah’s foot produced.

          “My point exactly.” She said as she noticed the sound was different. “Now let me prove my point.”

           The protector stepped a little closer to the one of the roots and began to muster more of her strength. She then pulled her foot back and stomped the ground with more force. As her foot connected with the earth, the ground gave way beneath her. The hole wasn’t large but surprised everyone except the protector. Reacting quickly, she pulled herself out of the hole and looked at the others.

           “The ground beneath these trees is hollow. I suspected as much. Even though the roots do not look as bad as the rest of the tree something underground must be affecting them. Jerlik, in your supplies did you bring something that you can turn into a torch?”

            “No.” He replied and began to rummage through a sack that he carried with him.

            She sighed in response but firmly said, “Regardless, we’re going underground.”

            He paused as he heard her comment, “We’re…we’re what?” he asked, surprised to say the least.

           Not answering him, she looked to the tribe and said, “In an attempt to earn your apology, Jerlik will accompany me to go underground to track down the source of your trees’ illness. As soon as we diagnose the problem, we will attempt to heal your trees and return. This quest will be accepted but only if you will forgive Jerlik.”

           “Sheesh I’m glad I can speak for myself sometime.” Jerlik groaned after hearing the protector’s words.

           As if Elono didn’t hear Jerlik’s remark, he looked at the protector and replied, “For our trees, anything. Please take your companion and find the source of our blight.”

          “We will, come on Jerlik.”  She told him as she moved to the hole.  With no hesitation, she jumped underground and called out to Jerlik, “It’s not that far of a jump, come on.”

          Her companion was fearful, but did as she told.  He jumped into the hole and hit the ground with a thud.  The surface was hard and he winced in pain as he started to stand up.  “It’s not that bad.”  She said as she reached for his hand in the darkness, “Let me pull you up and we’ll try to assess our surroundings.”

          He took her hand and began to stand up slowly.  The pain of impacting the ground was mostly in his legs but as he stood up, the sensation began to subside. 

           The cavern underneath was dark to no surprise, but the protector saw where some light from above began to shine through.  Remembering that her sword was made of crystal, she unsheathed it and placed it underneath the light.  The ground above was at least twenty feet high, which made the possibility of going above more difficult.  “I don’t want to go any further.”  Jerlik told her.  Kirakah merely smirked a bit and replied, “You may be left behind to guard my sword, I have a plan.”

     “I hope you do.”  He said, “It’s too dark in here I can’t see anything.”

The protector cut into the dark, hard ground beneath her feet as she listened to her companion, “You know, for one who wishes to rule the East Side Castle, you sure do have a knack for complaining.”

“I figured the quest for the blood would not mean we’d be stuck in the dark.”

“If you knew much about Akerion outside of your castle walls, you’d realize many innocent ones would have to learn to survive in the dark regardless.”

“Well that’s one thing I suppose I need to learn on this quest.”  He then looked at her, “What exactly are you doing?”

“Watch.”  She said as she turned her sword after angling it under the light.  Just as she expected, a large ray of light directed from the hole above to the cavern in the distance.  With mild illumination, both of them began to see their surroundings.  The walls were made of dirt and the hole they were in was at least fifteen feet across.  For the most part everything was black but about ten feet ahead of them, they began to see the roots of the trees above.  Roots…that were turning gray.

Beauty stepped forward a little to get a better look at the roots.  As she did, Jerlik stayed next to her weapon.  “They’re definitely dying.”  She said in regarding to the trees, “The roots would normally be black, not gray.”

“We already know that.”  Jerlik said but attempted to speak respectfully.  She didn’t pay much attention to his confirmation as she traveled on down the cavern, the light directed from her sword still aiding her sight.

“This hole runs pretty deep.”  She spoke loudly so he could hear her, “Something has to be creating this cavern here.  There is no way that the trees would take grow over such a huge hole in the earth.”  She then looked above where she saw nothing but darkness.  “Jerlik I have an idea.”  She said, “Move the sword to shine the ray of light above, I want to see what’s here.”

“No problem.”  He said and moved the sword back a bit to angle the light source.  Most swords wouldn’t move so easily in hard ground, but this weapon was obviously an exception.  After a few moments the light shined above the protector and there she was able to make something else out.  The gray roots grew wider above her, that much she expected, but what she didn’t expect was to see the sap flowing from them into a small trench that began at the side of the slanted wall, and seemed to move toward the ground.  She examined it carefully and loudly said, “Someone or something had to dig this.  This recess was not naturally made.”

Before Jerlik could respond the protector’s stomach began to tremble.  She recognized the sensation immediately as her danger sense and screamed at her companion, “Get out of here!  I sense dangerous things coming.  Do it now!”

The young man was not going to argue and began to do his best to climb up the side of the cavern to the hole that remained open above him.  Acting on instinct, he left the sword behind him and Kirakah took a few steps back, still not able to see the danger in the darkness.

“Show yourself quickly!”  she said as she moved closer to her sword.  In normal circumstances she would of already ran toward the exit, but part of the danger was the mystery that would need to be solved.  “I come to protect the village above, and the trees that bless them!”

Finally the darkness responded.  Three shadowy figures suddenly sprung forth and attempted to grab her.  Even though she still couldn’t see them, her danger sense alerted her to their presence.  She managed to squirm away from two of them, but the third focused its strength and grabbed her legs.  With a hard jerk, it forced her to the hard ground.

The impact made her wince as an intense stinging sensation covered her back.  It only remained for a second but the second was enough time for four more creatures to grab hold of her.  Her keen hearing also picked up on more of them moving in closer.  Instead of fighting, she listened to the hissing sounds coming from them.  Using her empathy to understand their language, she began to hiss back, “I am Kirakah, supreme protector of all innocent life.  I protect the village above and the trees.  What are you and what are you doing here?”

“Blood.”  One of them hissed back.  Now that she was speaking their language, they were able to reply in hisses and clicks,
“We drink blood to survive underground, and the blood of the roots has given us sustenance like no other!”

“Blood of the trees above!”  she hissed loudly, “You cannot drink the blood from the trees.  Do it and you will die.”

They replied, “We are the Gwerlers, underground beings who have drank much from the roots so we become more powerful.  We also grow in numbers by smearing our blood on the other people of this world.  Soon we will surface and drink from those who live above!”

“I won’t let you!” she shrieked and stood proudly, “You will not harm them.”

After she spoke one of the creatures moved closer to her.  With what light aided her, she was able to make out its features.  It stood about eight feet tall with black skin that appeared very wrinkled and sagged from its body.  Part of it appeared humanoid, but its face had a nose that extended four inches from its mouth, much like a wolf’s except with no hair, and its eyes were nothing but two tiny white marks above the nose.  Fangs extended from what she could make of it’s mouth and as a hand rose, there were three claws raised in front of her, “We will harm them….and devour them.”  It hissed, “But before we do that we will devour you.”

Its hand quickly moved to slash at her chest.  As it did, three deep cuts easily pierced her flesh.  She winced in response as the pain raced through her body but within two seconds the wound quickly healed.  She hissed again, letting the creatures know, “You cannot devour me!”

But she underestimated their intelligence as one of them grabbed her sword.  In an instant her stomach trembled but her danger sense was not fast enough.  The blade pierced her chest and blood began to empt from the newly made cavity.  The cut was deep and mortal as the blade flickered under the red fluid.  The creatures began to approach but were not fast enough for the one that held Kirakah’s attention.  In an instant, it leaped forth and greedily sucked the blood from her chest.  Removing the sword, it let its teeth grip the wound and became the only one to drink from her.  All the protector could do in reaction as let out a scream that everyone in Akerion could hear….even the creators.
   
“Did you hear that?”  one of the Akons asked the others, “Already our chosen warrior is mortally wounded.”

A few sighs escaped the lips within the small crowd and then they focused.  Using their magic, they could see the attack in their mind and watched the scene unfold.  The creature continued to drink until the protector’s blood slowed to merely a trickle.  “He must be the leader of them.”  Another Akon commented.

“I fear by drinking her blood, he has grown stronger….”the first Akon said, “But he cannot drink forever.” 

They continued to watch the scene as a few of the Gwerlers were already moving to the surface.  “The blade has pierced her chest, but it did not pierce her heart.”  A third Akon said, “There is still hope.”

But hope was not what Jerlik and the Drulegians saw.  The hole that Kirakah made was large enough to gain attention, and as a few villagers looked over they gasped as the terrible beasts appeared from it.  Most of them stood about seven feet tall, except for one that was taller.  They looked humanoid enough, but their ugly, black wrinkled skin made everyone wince in disgust.  In a few areas of their body there appeared to be lesions of some sort and their gray blood oozed from the sores.  But the blisters were nothing compared to their horrifying fangs and claws.  Their slender fingers were spread apart to reveal their sharpness and after a series of hissing sounds, they began to approach those who watched.

Jerlik already sensed the danger and ran forward to a group of Drulegians, “Protect yourself!”  he shouted, “Danger is near!  Arm yourself.”
Upon hearing his warning many villagers grabbed hold of staffs and spears.  The Gwerlers were alre
ady attacking two nearby Drulegians who were not as fast as he.  As the beasts ripped their throats and drank of their blood, it slowed the group down until more sprang from the earth.  The villagers were fierce fighters as they attacked the group with spears and staffs.  Most of their aims were good ones, but at the same time many missed.

Jerlik gulped a bit as the scene unfolded.  However he remembered what Kirakah told him.  Perhaps he hid in the castle for too long in his life.  With each passing second, the villager’s forest turned into a frantic place where some were fighting for their lives and others fleeing.  However Jerlik noticed one thing in the distance, a long staff made of wood was only a few feet from where he stood.  Gathering his courage, he ran forward and grabbed the staff, and quickly entered the battlefield.
The Drulegians definitely needed help.  Already ten of them had fallen victim to the Gwerlers thirst for blood.  But as he entered the fray he managed to beat one of the monsters down to the ground.  For once, his calm nature bent down to his fury and with shouts of anger, the Gwerler was beat behind the neck, back, and three times on his head.  The creature didn’t have much of a chance after that.  After a series of clicks and hisses, it fell to the ground.

Jerlik then looked around for his next victim.  A villager was grabbed by her throat as a monster extended its claws and began to bring them to her chest.  Howling in rage, he sped toward the two and again hit the Gwerler in the head.  The monster faced Jerlik with its fangs extended and began to change its attack to him instead.  Showing no fear, he hit the creature again and again, until it finally fell to the ground.  The youth had much strength, even more than he realized before, and the rescued Drulegian heaved a quick sigh of relief as she ran from the battlefield.

A few other Drulegians were not as fortunate though.  Jerlik’s eyes opened wide as he beheld at least fifteen villagers drained and to the ground.  He shivered at the thought and grabbed hold of his staff as more approached.  In the distance he saw the tallest one who walked behind the others.  He heaved a sigh of despair as the group advanced and abandoned all hope as what remained of the villagers ran to hide within the trees.

But hope had not abandoned them.  Out of the hole fair fingers gripped the earth and using strength, the protector jumped onto the ground and shrieked loudly.  The shrieking got the attention of the monsters as she yelled in their language, “I challenge your leader…to the death.  Should he pierce my heart or decapitate me with my sword, this village and all of Akerion is yours to devour.  Should I behead him, all Gwerlers will remain underground forever and never drink from trees again!”

The group of beasts stopped and hissed among themselves for a moment.  Then the tallest one walked forth and said,”You realize this will be your downfall protector.  I have drank of your blood and I am stronger!”

“Then this should be easy for you.”  She said and dropped her sword on the ground, “Go ahead…kill me.”

“I ACCEPT THE CHALLENGE!” he shrieked and immediately grabbed the weapon.  As Kirakah’s stomach trembled she jumped backward just in time to avoid the first blow from her sword.  While it missed her head by a few inches, it stuck into a tree and Kirakah used this at an advantage.  She spun around behind the creature and kicked it hard in the back.  The attack distracted it, but as the leader gained its bearings it howled enraged as it swung the blade around to try to meet her neck.
Again the protector was fast.  She ducked her head and immediately came up with an uppercut to the creature’s chin.  The attack flooded its senses with intense pain and the beast jumped back, shrieking from agony.  Enraged, it took the sword and sliced through the air in random motions.  Kirakah only smirked as she saw this.  Already her attack disoriented the beast and she used this to her advantage.  Her keen eyesight saw that it wasn’t striking much at the air below its waist.  With speed, she ran forward and before the leader could comprehend her movements, she kicked its legs with much force that the monster was brought down to the ground.  As it hit the earth with a thud, the sword fell from its hand.

She picked up the sword and spoke to the Gwerlers who saw their leader fall, “Keep your promise.” She hissed as she pointed the point of her blade toward her opponent, “Return below ground and leave these trees alone and I will spare your life, for now….”

It growled angrily but gave the command for the other beasts to yield.  Gathering its strength, the leader stood up and walked toward the hole in the ground.  Each Gwerler jumped back into the hidden cavern one by one, and as they did Jerlik and a few other villagers walked toward the protector in curiosity, and relief.

“It’s good that the Akons gifted me with the empathic ability to understand strange languages.”  She said, “You never know when understanding your enemy will help you defeat it.”

“And I never knew the value of courage.”  Jerlik said, “Until now.  I realize that strength and survival, is more important than appearances.  Too many in the castle have been hiding from the dangers too long.”

“Yet you saved some of us from them.”  A villager said as she appeared.  She was the same one who Jerlik saved and now he could get a better look at her.  Her clothes were similar to most of the others save for a wooden necklace that she wore under her neck.  Her face revealed a somewhat comely countenance that also had a happy expression as she said, “I will be forever in your debt, as will my father Elono.  We are very thankful that you have saved  me, so thankful that you may take just a little of the blood of one of our trees.”

Even the protector was surprised at what she said and asked, “Are you sure?”

“Yes, we are sure.  It should be enough, yes?”

Jerlik bowed in respect and then spoke when he arose, “I will only take what I need, and no more.”

Kirakah stood to the side as Jerlik bowed before one of the roots of their trees and opened what appeared to be the lid of a small bowl.  Taking a knife that he had strapped to his leg, he gently carved away some bark and the sap of the tree began to slowly pour out.  The protector watched him gather the liquid and also watched him cover the cut with dirt and bark, as if seeking to heal it.

“Good job Jerlik.”  She said as she watched him cover the wound, “And I am happy to hear you have learned something valuable on your quest.”

He stood up and nodded in affirmation, “Yes I definitely have.”  He said.  Then the both of them looked to the villagers who gathered, “Your gift is very much appreciated and I will promise to keep the location of your village a mystery.”

“And if anyone comes to harm your trees again.”  Kirakah said, “I’ll deal with it personally.  Let everyone know that this village, along with its trees, are under my protection.  Then people will not think twice about harming them.”

“Thank you protector.”  Elono’s daughter said, “Your help is also appreciated.”

Beauty smiled and looked at her companion, “Now we go home.”  She told him and home they went.  When all candidates completed their quests, the protector stood witness to who would take the throne.  Jerlik was the fortunate one and his first order was to train the residents of the East Side Castle in self defense tactics and create an army to stand guard to protect the fortress.  He also ordered the court to dispose of the blood of beauty from the trees, saying that beauty is nothing when compared to strength and survival.  Though some court members disapproved, he made his point firm and clear that living is the most beautiful thing of all.  His reign influenced other rulers to do the same.  Throughout the course of Akerion’s history, the East Side Castle remained one of the safest places to live.