A story a 'dreamt' up last night! Hope you like it! (And the pictures has slightly something to do with it!

Prologe(sp?)

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New York City, New York
A fourteen year old boy lay on the top bunk of a bunkbed, a black ring was starting to show around a swollen eye. Blood from a cut dripped into his other eye, making it hard for him to see. But long black hair covered his grey colored eyes.
"Are you pouting, Donwin?" asked his cellmate.
"I.. won that fight... remember?" Donwin gasped through gritted teeth. Just hours ago he had gotten in a fight with another boy on school ground.
"Yeah, but you're in juvey," tonted the boy. Donwin clenched his teeth and fists, trestraining himself from punching the boy.
I don't even know your name, dude. So just leave me alone! he thought, gasping at a wave of pain started from his chest. Donwin was sure he had a broken rib. A guard came to their cell, and opened the barred door.
"Alright Donwin, your mom's here to pick you up."
Donwin slowly sat up, and jumped down, wincing when he landed. The guard ushered him out, and closed the door behind him. The boy that was his cellmate leaned against the bars.
"See yeah back here soon, dude!" he called after them.
They walked down many corridors, Donwin knew his way around, for this wasn't his first time in Juvy. When they made it to the front office, a woman with highheels, too short a skirt, a too tight blouse, black hair in a clip, too much make-up, and an unlit cigarett in her hand, came over and hugged him.
"Donny, Darlin'! Are you alright? You've ot a blackeye." she pushed his knotted, blood stained bangs out of his face. Donwin pulled away from his mom, and walked out, his mother following with a sigh. He got into the passenger seat of a red mustang convertable with the top down, and watched his mom get in the driver's seat and drive away. For a long while, not one spoke, but Donwin's mom, Kiss, was the first to speak.
"Why, darling?"
"hm?"
"Why? Why do you steal, get in fights and such? Why don't you talk to me?" No reply. Kiss stopped the car ubrutly, obviously agry now.
"Donwin Chris Lorenz, talk to me!" she only said his full name when she was angry, drunk, or high.
"Maybe I wouldn't have to steal if I had a mom who would buy food and supplies instead of fansy, unneeded stuff and drugs. Maybe I wouldn't get in fights if my mom wasn't a stripper that they wouldn't make fun of!" Donwin yelled, getting out of the car, and slamming the door.
"I try Donwin! Get back in the car!" Kiss pleaded.
"I wish dad was still alive!" he yelled, his voice going hoarse, as he stomped away, not caring were he was going.
After a few minutes he was out of breath, panting, and had a cramp in his side, not to mention main through his chest. Donwin looked up at the sky. It had to be a breezeless day... and be so hot for early spring. He found himself infront of a small library, and decided if it had airconditioning, it would be okay. Plus it would be the last place his mom would look for him, If she cared to look, he thought, climbing up the front steps. When inside, he made hisway through the sheelves of books, avoiding contact with anyone. When he came to the very back, he found a corner with now one around, and sat down. His arms crossing over his knees, and his forhead laying on his arms.
Donwin lifted his head, and glanced at the library clock above him. A half hour had gone by.
I must have dozed off, he thought, then saw a book laying there right next to him. It was leather bound, with golden titles. 'Onercs'. There was one more thing under it. 'Elementals'. Onercs must be the title, and Elementals the series. he thought, but didn't know how wrong he was. Opening up the heavy book, he read through it. It described a small island. At the South-Eastern corner, there was a forest full of trees, bushes, grass, and moss of every kind. In the North-Eastern corner there were active volcanoes, and cracks everywere that fire flickered out of. On the South-Western corner, there was a sandbeach, that was completely submurged on full moons, nights, and midday. On the North-Western corner, it was mountanous, and foggy all the time, yet there was a breeze always there. The skies were always clear and the water around the island were crystal clear and went on and on past the horizon.
I would love to be in the mountanous part, he thought, and turned to the next page to see a map of the island, and noticed an eightlegged star right in the middle of the island. The next page was a beautiful picture of the mountains. It was at sunset, and the colors were beautiful, and there was a wonderful view of the horizon amidst the mountains.

With a smile, Donwin touched the picture, then suddenly felt himself falling, falling...

_________________

(}--{)Imagination Inspires Ideas -Zandain(}--{)
Married Cloud Strife 9/17/08

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Las Angales, California
"Now spell clostraphobic(sp?)," the words echoed around the autitorium.
"Clostraphobic. C-L-O-S-T-R-A-P-H-O-B-I-C. Clostraphobic." a fifteen year old girl, with green eyes, and shoulder length brown hair said into a microphone. She wore a plad skirt, and white blouse with a piece of paper with the number 11 pinned on it. Red fraimed glasses hung on her nose.
"That is correct. Congradulations, you have won the state championship spelling bee, Tresha O'Donald." came the speaker's voice. Tresha jumped up and down screaming, as the crowd in the auditorioum did the same thing. A man in a suite came out from back-stage, holding three things. A trophy, a book, and a certifacate.
"Congradulations, Tresha, for being the honorable state spelling-bee winner! I award this trophy to you, and this certifacate signed by the governer. Here is also the words for the country spelling-bee that you will be participating in with forty-nine other boys and girls around the U.S." he said into the micriphone, his voice echoing through the large auditorium.
"Thankyou! Thankyou all! I couldn't have done it without my supportive family, and wonderful and helpful friends," Tresha said, smiling.

~~~~~~

Later, in her home, a grand three-story house with a 2 acre yard, there was a party that only her closest friends and all her family were invited to.
"Thank you everyone for coming to the celebration party of Tresha's accomplishment with winning the state spelling-bee. Next weak she will be visiting Washington D.C. for the National spelling-bee, and then maybe onto the global one!" A man in a navy suite announced, and everyone luaphed.
"I doudt there is such a thing as the global-bee, honey," said a woman in a slim red dress, and wild blonde hair said.
"Oh well! Now that we're done with the cake and icecream, it's time with the presents!" he rang a small gold bell next to him, and twenty servants walked in, each holding a wrapped gift. The gifts were placed infront of Tresha, who wore a grand green dress, and lots of expensive jewelry. Without a word, she opened the first gift. This was a leather bound book with the golden words 'Onercs' then under it 'Elementals' in it.
"Did you get her that?" the lady, Tresha's mother, leaned over to her father, and whispered. He shook his head.
"What garbage," Tresha said snottily, and tossed the book behind her, and went to the next present, and small one. Opening it, there were car keys inside.
"Keys? But I don't even have my lissence yet!" she exclaimed, with a squeele.
"We thought we get you one early, the best money could buy." her father said, nerviously.
"Is it green?"
"Um, no, it's blue."
"Blue?! But it must be green, my favorite color! How else will it match most my outfits? Oh, well, I could just borrow your car... which is green," Tresha said, tossing the keys as well. The other presents were jewelry, dresses, shoes, and plushies.
That night, after a quick catnap, Tresha looked through her gifts, and came to the book last. With a sigh, and crossed her legs on her water bed, and looked through the book, skimming the pages that described a beautiful land with a forest, a sand-bar, volcanoes, and mountains. She flipped through the pages, and right past the map which she didn't even notice, and stopped at a picture. It showed a beautiful forest, full of green everywere. The picture looked to the east, and showed a beautiful sunset, making the greens brighter.
"Now thats green! I want that to be the color of my car!" Tresha squeeled, and placed a green-painted finger on the picture, then suddenly felt herself falling, falling...

_________________

(}--{)Imagination Inspires Ideas -Zandain(}--{)
Married Cloud Strife 9/17/08

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Daytona, Florida
A blonde-haired fifteen-yearold boy skimed his hand through the water of the wave he was surfing. Quickly he stood up as he came to the top of the wave, and positioned his feet right on the surfboard with fire designs. But before he could get all the way ready, he felt himself plunge into the salt water below.
He cauphed and sputtered as he ran to the sandy beach, his friends ran up to him.
"Dude, Recfir, you took a hard fall. Are you alright? Man, you took a beating." A brunnett said, luaphing.
"I'm fine, man. You don't need to worry about me, I'm the Ironman remember?" Recfir replied.
"That was in middle-school when you didn't throw up after dicecting a frog when the rest of us did." said another friend, handing Recfir a towel to wipe the water out of his red-colored eyes.
"What ever," Recfir said, and placed his board on the sand before going to his backpack to find he had a test message on his cell. 'Need u at store now. M&D' "Figures," he mumbled, and quickly dried before pulling on a shirt and putting on flipflops. Swining his back on his back, and his board held under his arm, Recfir said goodbye to his friends and started walking toward the old bookstore his family owned. The store was on the beach, so he only had to walk for about ten minutes before he arrived.
Recfir went through the back door, and stuck his surfboard in a closet before going up front were rows of books were everywere, and one small counter in the corner with a cash register stood. A skinny woman with curly blonde hair and redrimmed glasses was going through some papers before looking up.
"Ah, Recfir, I was wondering when you'd get here. Dad needs you in the 'Sectioning Room'. We got a new shipment of books that your dad ordered. I'm trying to figure out how we're going to pay for all these, and have some money left over to save up for you going to collage." she said, smiling before looking back down at her work. Recfir stuffed his hand in his swim trunk pockets while going through the back of the shop. The sectioning room was a room were they orginized the books into the different catigories.
In the room, which was a bare room with many tables, each labeled, and many, many more books stacked around. In the middle was a man with shaggy brown hair and a five-o'clock shadow, and brown eyes.
"Recfir, can you help me with these? It may take all weak end, but once your mom's done with the paperwork she'll be in here to help," he said, before picking up a book, skimming the pages, and setting it on a table labeled 'History'.
"Alright," Recfir sighed, and started with the stack of books closest to him.
~~~
Recfir worked until late that night, and while looking through a stack of books that was mostly history, he dozed off. When he woke up, his dad wasn't there, and half the books had been catagorized, and taken up front. With another sigh, he took up another book, this one, unlike the others, was leather bound, and in gold letter said 'Onercs The Elementals'. He looked through the book, reading the pages carefully, enjoying the great detail the author, who ever it was, wrote it in. Eventually he came to a picture of a valley filled with volcanoes that smoke came out of. There were cracks in the ground with fire flickering out of. In the distance, through the volcanoes, an ocean was shown with a wonderful sunrise. The colors amazed Recfir, and when he traced one of the volcanoes with a finger, he felt himself suddenly falling, falling...

_________________

(}--{)Imagination Inspires Ideas -Zandain(}--{)
Married Cloud Strife 9/17/08

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Campbell, Tennessee
A fourteen-year-old girl, wearing a blue T-Shirt, jeans, and boots, rode bareback on a solid bay mare. Going at a slow canter, the girl steared the mare through a forest trail with the reins. Now which way was the spring again? Think Eretwa, think, she thought to herself, keeping at eye out for something that would jog her memory. Spotting a rock on the trail that looked like Abe Lincon, it came to her.
"Left at the twisted tree, then straight on through the valley!" she cried out, and gently kicked the mare with her heels, who was glad to go faster. Eretwa skillfully held on with her knees, held onto the mares silky mane with one hand, and neckreined with the other. When she spotted a tree that had about three big branches at the base that twisted around the tree, she turned the mare left, and urged the mare into a gallop.
Not long later they reached a clearing in the forest, and in the middle of it was a natural spring. Eretwa dismount, and tied the mare to a tree before slipping off her jeans and T-shirt to show a one-piece bathing suit underneath. She ran to the cool water, and waded in, waste deep in water.She lay down in the water, leaning her head against a rock. It was the perfect time of day for a nop in a spring.

About an hour later, Eretwa woke up, feeling refreshed from the morning's chores, and got up out of the water. She bundled her close up, and wrapper her belt around them to keep them together. She was about to get on her mare's back when something cought her eye. Over on a rock, on the edge of the clearing, a leather bound book with the words 'Onercs The Elementals' engraved in gold.
Curiously, she walked over, and picked it up. Shrugging, and wrapped it with her cloths, and still dripping wet, rode back to the farm. When she got back, her mother told her to go up to her room, and do some more school work. Eretwa nodded, and ran up to her room, and plopped down in a chair, and took out the book she found in the clearing. She read about a wonderful land with mountains, volcanoes, a forest, and a sand-bar. When she came to the map, she wondered what the star in the middle of the island was, and looked back through the book. It said nothing about what the star would be. Shrugging, she went on. The next page was a picture of vast water, and you could just make out golden sand under the water. To the left you saw the base of a mountain, and in the horizon was a beautiful sunset. Touching the picture, she suddenly felt herself falling, falling.

_________________

(}--{)Imagination Inspires Ideas -Zandain(}--{)
Married Cloud Strife 9/17/08

Ch. 1

<center>At dawn I rise
To find I can fly.
To feel the wind rushing past my wings,
Is such a wonderful thing.
I fly away,
From hurtt and pain,
To never come back this way.</center>

Donwin sat up straight, feeling stiff as if he had been laying on rock. Opening his eyes, he found out, he was. A harsh wind tugged his long bangs as he surveyed his surrounding. He had been laying on the edge of a cliff on the side of a mountain. And like the many other mountains around him, it was a creamy white.
He stood up and almost cursed when he stepped on a stone, and found out he was barefoot. And instead of his usuall jeans, he wore grey shorts, and no shirt. It was still slightly dark, and getting brighter, as the sun was starting to rise. In the morning light, the mountains were enchanting, sparkling with morning dew. In the distance he could hear the crashing of waves.
Examining his surroundings, Donwin found a trail, and followed it. It went around the mountain, and gave a view of the rest of the landscape. He was on an island, and a small one at that. Anyone could see the ocean on the other side. To his right was a bay, and one could just barely make out golden sand under the water. Straight ahead was a forest, though it looked more like a fussy mass of green. To his left were mountains, with the top missing, and smoke coming out. Volcanoes, and by the looks of it, they were active. Other than that, the land was vast and golden.
The place seemed vagely familiar to Donwin, and he leaned against the cliff side, scratching his back. Cursing, he remembered he was shirtless.
"Were are my cloths, not these shorts. I hate shorts..." he rambled on as he made his way to the sandbar, walking slowly, enjoying the wind.
At the base of the mountain, Donwin stop to take a break, and lay down, careful not to scratch himself. Drifting off, he had dreams that he was a eagle, flying above New York City. He could feel the wind against his beak, and rufling his wing feathers. Eagle Donwin flew down by a lake, touching the serface with the tip of his wing. Suddenly there was a scream not human or animal. Distracted, he plunged into the icey water.
Donwin sat up abrutly, soked in sweat. The scream, and the pounding of the water echoed in his ears. He started wondering if the scream really was a dream or not. Donwin had also forgotten were he was, and thought he was back in Juvy after the fight. Gingerly he touched his rib, to find nothing broken, then checked his eye. Nothing was wrong. Confused, he got up and started off toward the sandbar, unsure of himself now.
The sandbar was farther than it had looked from up on the mountain, and by dusk he had made it. He intended to try and clean the new scrapes on his back. When he got to the beach, Donwin saw a figure floating in the water, and ran out to her. Splashing the whole way, he found a girl, about his age, floating face in the water. She had orange hair, and a blue dress.
Donwin put his ear against her chest to find that she had a heart beat, and sighed with relief that the girl hadn't drowned. Cradling her in his arms, Donwin carried the girl to the beach, were he set her in the sand. Sitting next to the uncounsious girl, he tried to figure out how any of this happened. Last thing he remembered was running into the library, then he remembered the book. Onercs, that's what it was called, right? It had a sandbeach, mountains, volcanoes, and a forest. This has to be it. Than who is she? he glanced at the uncouncious girl next to him. Maybe I should try mouth-to-mouth... but what if she ends up beling like a bad guy, or something like that? Donwin shook his head, deciding he was getting carried away, and watched the sun set, and the moon rise. When the first star came out, the girl started cauphing, and sat up. When she stopped, Donwin felt her eyes upon him, and turned to see she had stunning blue eyes. For a moment neither of them spoke.
"Um... hi," the girl eventually said, "I'm Eretwa."

_________________

(}--{)Imagination Inspires Ideas -Zandain(}--{)
Married Cloud Strife 9/17/08

<center>At noon I wake in the forest,
To dwell with the things I hold dearest.
The flowers and trees,
The bushes and leave,
Wisper secrets in my ear,
That only I can hear.</center>

Tresha sighed, and turned over on her side, stroking the mossy grass. A drip of sweat rolled down her forehead as she sat up slowly and stretched. Opening her eyes, whe quickly stood up, supprised.
"What am I doing here?" she called, her voice echoing through the dense forest. She looked down to see her green silk pajamas replaced with a green dress that looked like it was made of leaves.
"Wow, what a gorgous dress. It matches my eyes perfectly," she said, lifting a hand to run her fingers through her brown hair, but found it was all in braids. This made her panic. I must have been kidnapped and... the rest of the thought was stopped when she heard a scream that was unhuman echo through the forest. Tresha squeeled, and took her glasses off, breathed on them, wiped them, then put them back on. Whe was not dreaming.
"Where am I? Hello?! Is anyone there?" she yelled, and turned round and round, looking for some trail or anything to indicate where she was. Breathing hard, she decided the next plan was to listen intently. In the distance crashing waves could be heard. Tresha also heard whispering, and as she listened, it got louder, until she could just make out what it said.
"A boy..."
"Yes... air..."
"Wind... in the mountains..."
"You..."
"Then fire..."
"And Water...."
"Four... one... one... four... equal..." They all spoke at once, not making sence to Tresha. She started turning again, looking for the speakers, but found none. All there was, was the rustle of the trees.
"Elementals..."
"Save"
"destruction"
"Air... Earth... Fire... Water..."
"Earth... listen... speak..."
"Whose there?" Tresha yelled, and the voices went quiet, and the forest came more dense and still, like it was supprised she spoke.
"Hello? What are you talking about? Whatever you are? Elementals? Do I have to save elementals from destruction? If so, who are they?" A million things went through Tresha's head. I must be going in sane, she thought, and then, as if to answer he last question, the tree next to her rustled. She heard it, but barely.
"You are... and the three other chosen..." then all the other trees rustled, and hundreds of voices spoke, all at once. Tresha couldn't make anything out.
"Quiet," she yelled, and the forest calmed. Then, one last word was heard before the forest seemed to go dead.
"Onercs"

That was all Tresha could take, so she ran in which ever direction she was facing. The crashing of water came louder and louder, before long, she found herself standing at the edge of a cliff, water crashing bellow. It was just past noon, and terribly hot. Tresha carefully made her way along the shore, carefull not to step on anything sharp with barefeet. It became hotter, and hotter, until Tresha found herself at the edge of the forest, and in a vast plain, with cracks spitting out fire. A few yards from the cracks were volcanoes, giving off smoke.

Tresha ran along the forest's edge, and as the sun went lower in the sky, she found herself standing ontop of a hill. Infront of her were white mountains, to her right were the volcanoes, and to her left there was water. Squinting, Tresha just made out the shadow of a human walking toward the water. She took one step in that direction, then stopped. What if this person wasn't friendly?
I should watch, and see what this person does, she thought to herself, and moved forward, staying out of sight. It was dark when the figure reached the water, and watched him carry another, a girl, out of the water. Finally when the stars were out, the girl woke up, sputtering. Tresha decided to see if they were friendly and walked forward.
"Um... hi. I'm Eretwa," the girl said.
"I'm Tresha," Tresha said, and saw she had scared the two, "Do either of you know were this place is, and what I'm doing here?" Eretwa shook her head, the boy didn't move. Tresha knew he was looking at them, but couldn't see his eyes due to his long black bangs. Just his head was turned, his back was to the girls. On his back, on the left shoulder blade, Tresha just barely made out a dark line curving inward.

_________________

(}--{)Imagination Inspires Ideas -Zandain(}--{)
Married Cloud Strife 9/17/08

<center>In the evening I rise,
And the fire revives.
It burst in colors so bold,
like red and gold.
There is no liar,
Who stands by my fire.</center>

Recfir opened his red eyes to find himself in a cave lit up all red, and the light flickering. Sitting up, he found the source of the light was a fire, a big fire. The smoke bellowed out of a whole in the cave's roof. Recfir saw that his swim trunks had been replaced with red shorts. His flip flops were gone as well. He stood up, and looked for an exit, and found one. Exiting through the only exit, he found himself on the side of a mountain, smoking from the top. To his left was a forest, infront of him was ocean, and to his right were white mountains. The volcanoes around him were red, like molten lava. The sun was low infront of him, but had a bit to go before sunset. In the distance he saw the shape of a human walking along the edge of the forest. Curious, he decided to follow.
Recfir took two steps out of the cave before feeling a cold wind blow on his bare skin. Shivering, he went back inside the cave and toward the fire. The closer he got the better he felt, and eventually he was right next to the flames. Confused, he reached a hand out toward the fire, and didn't feel hot, only warm. Recfir put his hand in amung the flames the licked around him, but didn't burn him.
"Strange he muttered..." liking the feeling of the flaims around him, he stepped with bare feet into the coals. But it didn't hurtt him, not one bit. In fact, it felt like a massage. Smiling, he immersed his whole body in the fire. As soon he was in amung the flames, they grew to reach the roof of the tavern. Recfir felt himself grow as well, and felt like his body was moving and flickering like the fire. Like it had become one with the fire. Also his eyes felt like they were glowing.

After a few minutes of this feeling, he made himself step out of the fire, and leave the cave. Though he felt cold, he made his way across the land, and toward the place he had seen the girl. Each step he felt colder and colder. He wanted to run back, and jump into the orange flames in the cave. Looking back, he could see that he had been in a volcano, and around the volcano were cracks in the earth that fire licked out.
Turning back, he made his way in the direction he intended to go. It wasn't long before he came upon four people around his age. Two girls, and one boy...



<center>At dusk I watch the horizon,
The water's level is risin'.
I splash and dance,
In the currents, in a trance,
Water so clear and pure,
It makes me feel poor no more.</center>

Eretwa awoke, and just lay there looking at the now stary sky. The first thing she relized was the sand under her feet, head, and arms. Still lying, she looked dow to see herself wearing a blue skirt, and blue shirt that was short enough to show her belly. And the shirt was sleeveless. Then Eretwa realized she was wet, and sat up abrutly. A boy her own age sat not far from her, and turned to see her.
"Um... hi," she said, not sure what to say. "I'm Eretwa."
Just then someone spoke from behind her, and Eretwa turned to see who it was.
"I'm Tresha," said a girl with green eyes, and brown hair. She was also in a green dress," Do either of you know where this place is, and what I'm doing here?" Eretwa shook her head.
"I don't even know how I got here... and where this place is." she said, then turned to the boy. "Do you?" he shook his head.
"Who are you anyway?" Tresha said to the boy.
"Donwin," he said, and stood, patting off sand from his shorts.
"Hm... all I know was that.... I was reading this book called Onercs, and then felt like I was falling. Then found myself in those woods over there." she pointed to where she had come from.
"Same here... only I woke up in those white mountains up there," the then turned to Eretwa, "you were in the water... It's a sandbar that goes way out there, I found out..."
"Just like the book had said!" Tresha interupted, pushing her glasses further onto her nose.

_________________

(}--{)Imagination Inspires Ideas -Zandain(}--{)
Married Cloud Strife 9/17/08

ch. 2

<center>Wind and Earth,
Fire and Water.
In balance together,
Now and forever.</center>

The wind picked up, the waves became choppy, the fires in the crags grew, and earth shook. All four teens felt they knew the answer to this, somehow, and felt compelled to go to the center of the island. Recfir tried to stay away from the other three, but they saw him on their way to the center of the island.
"Who are you?" Eretwa demanded when she first saw the blonde teen. Figured he had been spotted, Recfir made his way over to them.
"My name is Recfir. I know, my name's strange... I had strange parents." he mumbled.
"Do you know what this place is?" Tresha said, fidling with a strand of her hair.
"No! I was reading this book in my parents' book shop, and woke up in a volcano." he answered, trying to put his hands in some pockets, but found he had none.
"Well... I'm Eretwa, this is Tresha, and Donwin," the redhead replied, smiling. So the four teens made their way to the center of the island. But before they got there, the earth quivered under their bare feet. All four teens fell to the ground, and watched as a tower grew out of the ground infront of them.
Finally it stopped when it almost touched the clouds.
"That has to be bigger than the Empire State Building," Eretwa gasped, looking up at the tall building. But she couldn't see it clearly since it was dark out. The few windows of the tower were alight.
"I vote on going in!" Recfir said, raising his hand. Donwin grunted and just started walking toward the tower.
I had to be stuck here with a bunch of preps, he thought to himself, stopping at the tower's metal door. Well, actually double doors. On the one on the right, there was a carving of a man, hooded and cloaked, holding a sword. On the other door was a maiden with long hair, a flowing dress, piercing eyes, and a bow and arrow in her delicate looking hands. On either door was a knocker in the shape of a dragon's head with a ring in it's mouth.
Eretwa, Tresha, and Recfir ran up to Donwin, gasping.
"Ever thought the big tower might be a bad thing?" snapped Tresha. Donwin just shrugged, and knocked loudly with the dragon knocker. On the third knock the door opened with a loud squeek. Inside was lit with an orange glow that seemed to come from the walls. And there was no one there that would have opened the door. With a quizical look, Donwin stepped inside, and looked up. He saw a staircase that went round and round, up and up. It went so high, he couldn't even see the ceiling.
"Wow-ow-ow-ow" the word echoed up the staircase. The other three soon came in behind him, and looked up. They also gasped when they saw the seemingly endless staircase. Donwin went to the base of the steps and started climbing.
"Where in the world are you going, dude?" Recfir asked after the black haired, boy.
"Better start now if we're going to get to the top anytime said," came the reply, his footsteps echoing through the tower.
"Do you have even a little bit of fear... or comon scence?"
"I guess not"
"Dude... this is crazy... you know what, I'm sleeping. I'm back at my parents book store; dreaming. I just need to wake up... Hey, where are you two going?" he watched the girls start going up the stairs themselves.
"climbing the stairs," Tresha said.
"They won't climb themselves. And if we're sleeping, then maybe we'll wake up when we reach the top," Eretwa said, leaning over the rail. "I desprately want to get out of these cloths, I feel nacked..." she mumbled, and started climbing. Already Donwin was far ahead of them. With a sigh, Recfir started climbing as well.

~~~~~~

Hours later, Recfir caught up to Eretwa and Tresha, who had caught up to Donwin. Mostly because Donwin had stopped at the first window the group had seen so far. He looked out the window, leaning against the wall, while the two girls started talking.
"I live in LA. The day I read the Oners book, was the day I wond the state spelling bee," Tresha was saying.
"Really? I live in Tennissee, my parents own a horse ranch. Maybe we should swap phone numbers... so we can call each other... if we ever get home, that is. What about you, Donwin, where do you live?" Eretwa asked.
"New York City." he sighed, "We're at least a mile up... and still the tower is alot higher. I doudt we'll ever make it. If only I could comand wind to just blow us up there easily."
Since, Donwin had his back to the others, Recfir and Eretwa both noticed the mark on his back for the first time.
"That mark, on your back, is that a birthmark?" Donwin nodded. "I have one somewhat like it on my neck. See?" Eretwa lifted her hair, and tilted her head so you could see a line like two waves on her neck.
"Me too," Tresha lifted her skirt to show a spiral mark on her thigh.
"Me three... this is weird dude." Recfir lifted his arm to show a line like a single flame on his side.
"That looks like flame... yours looks like water, Eretwa. And yours like a gust of wind, Donwin... than mine must be earth. Fir, air, water, and earth. I did awake in a forest, and you said you awoke in those white mountains. And Donwin said that you were in the water, Eretwa." Tresha said, taking off her glasses and fiddling with them.
"I woke in the volcanoes. And had a strange ordeal." Recfir described what had happened with him and the fire.
While he did so, Tresha had put her glasses back on, and was writing in the dust of the stairs with her finger.
"hm... you spell your name R-E-C-F-I-R, right?"
"yeah"
"Well, take out an r, the e, the f, and the i, and put them in the right order, it spells fire, with an extra c and r. Then with my name, T-R-E-S-H-A, you can spell earth with an s left over. Donwin, wind with an extra d and o. Eretwa, water, with an extra E." Tresha said, writing that down in the dust. Eretwa looked over he shoulder.
"You can spell Onercs with the extra letters," she said, and wrote it in the dust.
"We're all connected. We always were, and always will be. Till one of us dies," Donwin suddenly said, before starting up the stairs again. Eretwa stood up and started after him, followed by Recfir and Tresha.
"Why are you so quiet? I've only like, heard you say five things," Eretwa said, walking beside Donwin. "I mean, you're so mysterious, why would you be that way. The four of us are obviously the only ones on this island." there was a long silence with the only sound the echoing of feet on stone. "Say something, will yeah?"
"Something, will yeah," Donwin said, face staying emotionless.
"Oh, c'mon. All I know about you is that your name is Donwin, and you're from New York. What school do you go to? What's your father like?" she was cut off at the last question when Donwin suddenly faced her, looking into her eyes with his piercing grey ones.
"Why do you ask so many questions? My dad's dead, okay? I'm a juvinile delinquent, okay? I was failing school, and you know what, when I first arrived here, I thought it was the best thing that had ever happened to me. Maybe I shouldn't have gotten you out of the water. Then maybe you wouldn't have woken up and annoyed me with your perkiness. So do me a favor and leave me alone, alright?" he snapped, then turned around and stomped up the stairs.
Eretwa stood there, shocked, mouth open. She hadn't expected anything like this to happen.
Tresha and Recfir caught up to the shocked Eretwa.
"Ignore him... he's obviously a bad-tempered snob. Let's make it to the top of the stairs as quickly as possible. I don't want to be sleeping on these steps." Recfir said, streaming his fingers through his shaggy blonde hair.
"I live in Tennissee, by the way. Where to youall live?" Eretwa asked, Donwin forgotten at the moment.
"Youall, eh? I can tell you're a country girl." Recfir chuckled, "I'm from Florida."
"California," Tresha cut in. And soon the three teenagers were deep in discussion talking about friends, family, and what their life back home was like.

_________________

(}--{)Imagination Inspires Ideas -Zandain(}--{)
Married Cloud Strife 9/17/08

Ch. 3

It took longer than they expected to climb up all the stairs. Donwin was the first. He seemed to be able to fly up the stairs like a gust of wind. The other three trailed behind, and the farther up they went, the more tired and sick Tresha felt.
"I never like heights," she complained, holding her turning stomach.
"C'mon, we're almost there. See? There's only one more circle to go till we reach the top." Recfir said, pointing up. Looking down, they couldn't see the ground amidst the neverending spiraling stairs. They kept going on up, and soon came through a whole in the ceiling, which brought them to the very top of the tower. Donwin was there, stairing at the horizon that seemed endless.
Recfir went to stand next to him and was amazed at the scene with the soft colors of the clear water, and sky.
Eretwa and Tresha were busy examining a table in the middle of the roof-top. The roof was a circle, and in the middle stood a solid stone table in the shape of an eight pointed star. Between every other space between the legs, there was a small carving. One of Donwin's birthmark, one of Recfir's, one of Eretwa's, and one of Tresha's.
"Guys, come look at this. It seems to be some kind of inscription on the top of this table," Tresha said, adjusting her glasses, "Seems to be in some other language not from earth. I've studied other cultures... this comes from none of them."
Recfir walked over, and staired at the table. He reached out to touch it, but then a book seemed to materialate out of the table, already open. Recfir leaned over to get a better look at the page.
"Hey, it's an alphabet... the same one as on the table." he said, so then Tresha snatched the book, and looke at it, glancing at the table every now and then.
"The inscription says Thou hath been chosen as the Elementals of Onercs. Gardians of the sacrade p.... I can't read those markings right there... Now journey forth, and stop the power of The Dark One. The elements shalt help you. May the power of Starrion be with you."
"Starrion? Dark One? Sounds like an epic book," Donwin said, going over to the part of the table that had the carving like his birthmark.
"We need to find a way back to Earth..." Recfir mumbled.
"I want to figure out this riddle we have. I mean, something really bad might happen if we don't do what this... prophacy thingy tells us to." Eretwa said.
"Only problem is, this is a little island... and I think the water goes on too far for us to make a raft." Tresha said, setting the book back on the table.
"We need to learn how to control our powers." Recifr said.
"Powers, what powers?" That was Eretwa.
"We're elementals. We've got to have powers. I mean, I walked into a fire when I arrived, and didn't get burned."
"The trees talked to me..." Tresha mumbled, remembering all the whispering in the forest, and said what the trees had said.
"Strange... I wonder what I can do. If I'm water... I wonder if I can breath under water. Oh, that'd be so cool!" Eretwa said, jumping up and down.
"Hold on fishey. I still want answers." Recfir said.
"And do you s'pose to get them?" asked Donwin, crossing his arms.
"I don't know..." he was cut off when a flash of light erupted in the sky. A bright white light, and started falling toward them. It landed ontop of the stone table, and pushed everyone to the floor. When they stood up, the light turned into the shape of a woman. She had long, waste-length hair of every possible color. Her eyes were silver and seemed to hold the universe with their beauty. She was pale, and had a very slim, fragile looking figure. Her cheekbones high, lips full, eyebrows slim, and her chin stout. She wore a dress that seemed to be made of stars stretched into thread and woven together. It was tight around her body, and ended with a trail on the dress. And pale hands with long nails came out of long, wide sleeves. Upon her chest was a single white diamond holden with a golden clasp on a silver chain. Upon her brow was a golden crown incrested with jewels of every color.
"Hello, young elementals," her voice was high, and sounded like the melody of a thousand song birds, "I am Starrion, but not. This is only an image sent by me from my prison. The Dark One has trapped me... please, you must help..." the image of Starrion seemed to flicker for a second. Eretwa looked up to the lady in aw, as did Tresha and Recfir. Donwin didn't seem impressed.
"Who are you, and who is this 'Dark One'... and who are you?" he asked.
"I am Starrion, but not. Just an image sent my me. Please, you must help. I'm trapped in the dark tower."
"Where is this dark tower?"
"On the other side of the Great Water."
"And... how do we cross the 'Great Water'?" A smile flickered aross Starrion's lips, and she reached out a hand to the west. Lights came from the water, and made a path that stretched to the horrizon.
"Follow the light."
"Wait, wait." Eretwa said, shaking her head and back up a few steps, "Usually, in movies, if you 'follow the light' something bad usually happens."
"The light will lead to Onercs, the main land though. This is only a small island. You have been called upon to help the land from the Dark One. Please, I beg of you," her voice turned pleading.
"I'm not climbing down all those stairs..." Tresha mumbled.
"Wind can fly you down. Sprout wings. Water sprouts gills and tail, Fire become one with the flame, Earth become branches, leaves. The trees and wind, fish and flames will teach you how to use them. They have seen many Elementals come and go. Now it is your turn to learn the ways of the elements," and with that Starrion dissapeared...

_________________

(}--{)Imagination Inspires Ideas -Zandain(}--{)
Married Cloud Strife 9/17/08

The four teens were left there, a little shocked, confused and baffled. Eretwas was the first to do something.
"I think I'll go down to the sandbar... find some fish. The Starrion lady said that they could tell me how to use my powers... what every they are." she said looking around.
"So it was the trees that talked to me... yeah, I'm going to the forest." that was Tresha.
"Okay, we'll all end up going to our corners, I guess. So, dude," he looked at Donwin, "sprout wings like the chick said, and fly us down, will yeah?"
"I don't know how."
"Concentrate," chimed Eretwa.
"Fine," he grumbled. Closing his eyes, he imagined white feathered wings growing from his back. He imagined the wind in his feathers, and the... he was pulled out of his concentration when he heard a scream from Tresha, a squeel from Eretwa, and a 'wow' from Recfir. He opened his eyes to see two, almost tenfoot wings, attached-or part-of his back. He flapped them a couple of times, and smiled a small smile.
"The lady was right... now, who's first on the Donwin express?" Recfir said, grinning.
"Hey!" Donwin turned to face Recfir, and almost knocked him off the edge with his wing in the process.
"Watch it, birdboy!" Recfir growled, still smiling as he regained his ballance, "and it's ladies first. Which one of you's older?"
"I'm fourteen," said Eretwa.
"Fifteen," Tresha said.
"Tresha first then, 'cause she's older." Recfir said.
"Wait, hold on... I don't even know if I can fly or not. I mean, human bodies aren't built for flying, or so I've heard. Maybe I should try by myself first." Donwin said, walking to the ledge. Glancing back over his shoulder, he let himself fall forward. With his wings out, he didn't fall as fast as he would without them. Donwin flapped them a few times, and he stopped falling. He circled around the tower, trying to figure out the best way to accend and decend. Also, the wind rushing past his ears sounded like talking.
"Right wing up a little to turn left..."
"Left wing tilt down too..."
"Catch drafts... tilt wings up a little to catch updraft..."
"Down for downdrafts....."

Soon he had the hang of it, and flew to the top of the tower.
"Alright, now how am I going to carry her down?"
"Like you would if she's asleep. One arm under her knees, the other by her neck... her hands around your neck," Recfir nearly comanded.
It was a few moments before Donwin could hold her right. The first time he tried to pick her up, he nearly dropped her on her head, the second time, with Recfir's help, they nearly dropped her off the tower. The third time, after using Recfir's help and the stone table, he was flying her down to the ground. Then he went back up to get Eretwa, who was lighter than Tresha, and easier to carry. Last was Recfir, and trying to figure out how that would work out. Eventually they figured they'd jump off the side, and Donwin would grab his arms and let them float gently to the ground, with a rolling landing for Recfir.
The red-eyed boy got up, spitting out sand as Donwin landed, smiling a little.
"Well, at least I got down," he mumbled. Since it was evening, they decided to go to their 'corners' for the night, and all the next day. The second day they'd meet by the light bridge and head to the actual Onercs...

_________________

(}--{)Imagination Inspires Ideas -Zandain(}--{)
Married Cloud Strife 9/17/08

Recfir concentrated hard and making fire come out of his palm. He had craped X's on the cave wall, and was going to try to hit them with balls of fire. His eyes were squeezed shut, every muscle tense as he concentrated. Suddenly, there was an explosion, and next thing he new, he was on his back, opening his eyes to see Tresha infront of him.
"Are you alright?" She asked him worriedly.
"What happened?" he asked, sitting up.
"There was an explosion, and I come here so see you in the middle of a circle of charred ground," she said, helping him to his feet.
"I wasn't expecting that... maybe I should concentrate a little less on a fire ball... and it won't be so big..." he luaphed.
"Just do it when I'm long gone." Tresha said, shaking her head and leaving. When she was gone, Recfir tried again. This time he got a really small, marble-sized flame to appear in his hand. He cept concentrating on it, and eventually got the flame about the size of a baseball. With a smile, Recfir threw the ball, and it hit one of the X's right in the middle. He kept doing so, and each time it was easier and easier to call upon the ball of flame.
~~~
After seeing if Refcir was alright, Tresha walked down to the forest, stopping at it's edge. She walked in, prepared for the whispers. None came. She walked in deeper, touching the plants.
Maybe I can make a plant grow, she thought, and kneeled down on the mossy ground. She gently touched the ground, and concentrated really hard. A few seconds later, she peaked open to see a small sprout where there had been none seconds ago.
"Say spell," she heard from the tree next to her.
"Say 'little tree of the earth, grow strong and tall and claim your turf'," she heard from the one on the left. Tresha sighed and repeated what the tree said.
"Little tree of the earth, grow strong and tall and claim your turf." a second later, the sprout turned into a huge oak, knocking Tresha back. One of it's leaved drooped down and brushed her cheek.
"Thank.. you..." she heard from it's rustle. Tresha thought for a moment, and looked at her bare arm. With a thought, she walked over to a vine growing up the trunk of a tree.
"Vine of the forest... um... grow onto my are like a bracelet... er... and bless me with your grace?" she said, and suddenly the vine rapped itself around her arm. It eventually pulled out of the ground, and was possisioning itself around her whole arm, hand and fingers.
"Wow... that looks cool. And feel weird." she mumbled, turning her hand this way and that. With a few more experiments, she made herself an anclet, shoes made of leaves, a necklace with a rose, earings, and a many flowered tiara.
~~~~~
Eretwa was waste deep in water, looking around, trying to find a sea creature.
"Hey, sea creatures... come to me!" she called, and waited. Nothing happened. She sighed, and looked around. Now what? she thought, when she felt something touch her leg. She looked down to see a baby shark rub against her like a cat wanting to be pet. A little nervous she reached into the water and put her hand out. It swam under her hand, and didn't bite it. The shark's skin felt slimey and smooth. She heard a spout, and looked up to see a whale swimming back and forth at the end of the sandbar. Then she felt something wrap around her waste. Looking down, it was a squid.
"Can you please not do that?" she asked the squid, gently pulling it off. It let go of her waste, but seemed relunctant to do so. Eretwa looked around again to see many seacreatures swimming toward her.
"This is so cool!" she squeeled, and walked to the edge of the sand bar, and jumped in the water which was now deeper than she was tall.
Eretwa swam around a little, and submurged completely.
"You can breath here," she heard a gurgle.
"Turn your legs into a tail," she heard as a fish swam past her ear. Eretwa felt the burn of her lungs, opened her mouth, and realized she didn't choke on water. She could breath underwater. With a squeel of delight, she started swimming, keeping her legs together like she was a mermaid. Soon she didn't feel like she had two legs anymore. Stopping, she looked over her shoulder to see a blue tail like a mermaid's. With a squeel, she started to swim around the island to see how the others were doing.
~~~~~
Donwin stood at the peak of the highest mountain he could find. He stood there, eyes closed, hands out, breathing deep, and enjoying the wind on his body. His mind strayed, going off into the wind, drifting about on the currents. The winds seemed to play with his mind, tugging it this way and that. He was brought back to his body when he heard a call from over head. Opening his eyes, Donwin looked up to see two eagles flying overhead. He couldn't make out the color because of the glare of the sun in the sky. Donwin jumped from his perch, spreading his wings, and drifted upwards.
Now that he was high enough, Donwin saw that one eagle was brown, and the other white. They flew circles around him, calling to him. In his mind he heard voices. At first they were just aimless whispers. Then steadily they got more understandable, and louder.
So, this is the next winged one? he heard one voice.
Better than that scrawny girl from last time, commented another voice.
He needs to build up his wing muscles. It was the first voice.
Of course he does! He's only had those wings for only a few minutes. At least they're white wings, and not corrupted black ones like the girl... there was dread in the voice.
"Who is that? In my head?" Donwin called out, stopping himself and hovering in midair, hands on each side of his head.
Souringbeak... we forgot to introduce ourselves, said the second voice.
Aye... I am Souringbeak... the brown eagle. And this is Lightfeather. said the first voice. What is your name?
"Donwin"
You don't have to speak out loud. Can't understand you so easily that way. Just think it, he heard Lightfeather...

_________________

(}--{)Imagination Inspires Ideas -Zandain(}--{)
Married Cloud Strife 9/17/08