The Sapphire Star

And in a single day and night of misfortune all your warlike men in a body sank into the earth, and the island of Atlantis in like manner disappeared in the depths of the sea...
-Plato

Chapter 1: Second Sight


Our story begins in the middle 1800's in a land that is unknown to humans. A land that is surrounded by mountains and is in the northern part of Europe. The land of Roian.
Legends speak of this place as inhabited by things that are none other than myth to the race of men. Such things are: dragons, phoenixes, unicorns, sorcerers, fairies, trolls, centaurs, and many others. Great valleys and forest that grow on magic and happiness are no alien either. Such a place as this one is one of those fairytale type places. And like all places, it holds its secrets...
All this brings us to the peaceful village of Mundane. This is a peaceful little village that holds a handful of creatures that live and work together in harmony. Most are simple and laid back. But there are those that are complex and workers of magic...
"In the future from the past, show me what has come alas!" Greor shouted while throwing sparkly dust over a crystal ball.
"Nothing," he discouragingly, "One more time then. In the future, from the pa..."
The ball shattered in front of him into tiny shining pieces.
"Oh! Blast!"
The old sorcerer of unknown age got up from his chair and walked outside of his small wooden home to rest on the front porch to take a breather. He sat in his chair and watched a few small satyr children frolic happily in the grass.
Greor was a well educated sorcerer. He knew a lot about magic. All he had learned had been from the fairies. After all, they were the ones who raised him.
Years ago when he was a baby, the fairies had found him abandoned. Because of the fairy queen's good nature, she took him in and raised him. When he was older, he was sent to Mundane to start a life of his own. But the fairies still checked in on him once in awhile. This was done from his best friend, Geliva.
As Greor watched a satyr jump in the air, his send sight kicked in.
He saw something flying through the sky. It was black and had large horns. It also had massive wings that it was beating. Greor could barely make out its face, but from what he saw, it was skeletal with a body of the same style. After ten seconds he knew exactly what it was - a demon. He watched fly as it cast shadows over everything. The demon raised his arm and yelled something. A black beam shot down into the earth. The ground rumbled and turned an evil shade. Soon, Greor saw a centaur lady. The demon was nearing on her. She was at a place he recognized. It was Goddess Valley. The scene started to fade away...
"Oh no..."Greor said while panting.
He ran into his house and seized his broom. He wasn't much into flying anymore, but this was an emergency. He ran back out and put it between his legs while jumping into the air. The wind blew against his face as he was picking up speed and getting higher and higher. As he neared the valley he saw a black wave go up into the sky. He flew down into the valley and headed for the place that the wave had come from. He saw the centaur and the demon. The centaur was cowering against a large boulder while the demon was laughing evilly and shooting dark spells at her.
"Demon!" Greor shouted.
It turned and hissed at him.
"What business have you in this land?"
"To destroy and cause despair. I come with a mission from my master, Jecauron. Soon this land will be under his control."
"Not if I can help it!" Greor shouted while pointing his staff at the demon and casting a powerful light spell.
The demon fell to his knees and hissed angrily. Then he pointed his finger at Greor and attempted to cast a dark spell. But before he could, Greor drew a yellow cross into the air with his staff. The demon screamed and flew off.
"My dear lady, are you all right?"
"Yes, I'm fine," she squealed, "But this land is not. The demon poisoned it."
What she was saying was quite true. Greor looked down at his feet and saw that thorns were sprouting. Plants such as these did not grow in Roian. A few feet away from him another plant was sprouting. This one had a large head on it and a mouth filled with sharp teeth.
"We must return to the village. I will follow you."
The centaur ran along the grass that was fast growing with venomous plants. Greor flew behind her on his broom. When they got to the village Greor began to fly around and warn everyone.
"Quickly! Get into your houses! A curse has been set upon this land!"
Everyone obeyed he met obeyed with fear in their eyes. Knowing that he was wise, they would listen.
Greor made sure everyone was safely within their homes before going to his. When he was able to get inside, the first thing he did was go to his bookshelf for guidance. Surely he thought that there would be a solution to this problem. He searched through old spell books trying to find spells that he could maybe combine to find a cure for the land. But none could be seen. He was about to give up until he came to one book that told of healing charms. He flipped through the pages and started to give up hope until he came to one page.
"The Sapphire Star," he read aloud, "is a stone that can keep any person, river, ocean, lake, or land healthy for all eternity. The only known place that this was ever found was in the city of Atlantis."
He began to think. It seemed to be the only possible thing he could. He would have to search for Atlantis and find the stone.
He put his palms against his head and began to think...



Chapter 2: Past the Forest, Over the River

During his long hours of thinking, Greor had fallen into a deep sleep only to be awoken by a faint knocking at his door in an early hour of the morning. He got up from his table while gently rubbing his eyes and opened up the door. A creature about a foot tall zoomed in and landed on his table close to the book he was reading on the Sapphire Star. It was his fairy friend, Geliva.
"Oh, Greor! What is to become of our land!? It is being destroyed. Look!"
Groer looked out on to his shadow cast lawn. More and more of the fowl plants had sprouted. They were not big, but in time, they would be.
"I fear we may have been defeated, my dear friend," he said with a discouraged look on his face.
"But there must be something we can do! Anything!" Geliva shouted.
"Well," Greor began, "I was doing some reading and found that there is a stone that may be able to help us. It is called the Sapphire Star."
"Well where is it!? We must get it!"
"There is only one problem..."
Geliva flew in front of his face and hovered.
"The only place it was ever known to exist was in Atlantis."
"Atlantis? But that city was destroyed many centuries ago. It is at the bottom of a ocean. And no one knows which ocean!"
"I am afraid, it is all we can do. I can find no spells or incantations to fix this curse. I must find the Sapphire Star."
"And I will help you."
"You and I have been friends for years, haven't we?"
"Ever since you were a teeny little child," Geliva said while laughing.
"And it seems our old saying has finally come to use: what must be done..."
"Must be done."

Greor began packing some things in a small pouch while Geliva flew back to her home in the Fairy Springs to get her things. About thirty minutes later, Greor was standing on his porch as Geliva flew to him.
"Are you ready?" Geliva asked.
"Yes, I am. But before we leave the village I think it wise to go see Katrina. She may be able to help us."
Greor began walking along the dirt road from his house and into the village square with Geliva sitting cross legged on his shoulder. When he got to the square, he took the road that led to a cottage sitting by the edge of the village. Violet smoke was rising from the chimney.
Greor came to the cottage and knocked on the door. It was soon opened by a thing wrapped in a veil. The only thing that was visible from inside the veil was two blue eyes.
"Ah," she said hoarsely, "The stars told me I would be seeing you soon. Please, come in."
Greor stepped into the cottage. Incense that smelled of a fine fragrance met his nostrils. There were all sorts of things in this place. Dream catchers were hanging on the wall, crystal balls of all shapes and sizes were sitting on various tables, bottles of perfumes and scents were set heavily on a shelf, and a large cauldron was set in the far corner of the room. Things such as these, were no stranger to seers.
"So, Greor, I sensed you were trying a little divination the other day. You made the ball blow up."
"Yes," Greor chuckled, "I am a psychic that can do no divination voluntarily."
"Well, let's get down to your business. What may it be?"
"And you don't know?" Geliva said while smiling sweetly.
"Dear, even though I am a seer I still do not know everything beforehand."
"We want to know if you can tell us the whereabouts of Atlantis or anyone that knows of its location. We must find the Sapphire Star that is kept there."
"Atalantis. I can not tell you it's location; but I can tell you of someone that knows of it."
"You know where the city is?" Geliva asked.
"No," Katrina said while looking sheepish.
Katrina walked over to the large cauldron. It was filled with a light green, airy liquid. Katrina raised her covered hands in front of it and began chanting. The liquid swirled and bubbled.
"Is there anyone who knows of the location of the lost city Atlantis?"
The liquid slowed and a pond appeared.
"Can you show me more?" Katrina asked.
The image did not change.
"Where is this pond?"
Words began to appear: past the forest, over the river.
"Is this all?"
The words faded and all that was left was the green liquid.
"But which forest?" Greor asked.
"Let us confer to a map," Katrina suggested.
She went to one of shelves and took down a small map. She set it on a table and un rolled it.
"Lets see," she said, "the nearest forest is La Terra Di Licantropi Woods, and the river at the end of that is the Scamanderan River. I think it would be best to start there."
"Okay, thank you, Katrina," Greor said.
"Yes, thank you very much!" Geliva exclaimed
"Your quite welcome. I can have you transported to the edge of the woods. Thats as far as it will go."
"As what will go?"
"The cauldron, my dear. Just say take me to the edge of the La Terra Di Licantropi Woods and step in."
Geliva flew on to Greors shoulder while he walked to the cauldron.
"Take me to the edge of the La Terra Di Licantropi Woods."
Greor put one leg in.
"Oh! And do watch out for the...."
Greor and Geliva had fully stepped in the cauldron and vanished.
"Never mind," Katrina said, "They'll figure it out soon enough..."

Chapter 3: Moonlight

Immediately after Greor and Geliva had stepped in the cauldron, they found themselves at the edge of the woods. It was fairly thick and a little dark.
"Well, are you ready?" Greor asked Geliva.
"Yes."
Greor stepped into the brush with Geliva flying next to him. They soon came to a overgrown path that looked as if it hadn't been used in years. They began to follow it at a steady pace.
"Geliva," Greor said.
"Yes?"
"You have been my friend for many long years. As long as I can remember. You've stood right beside the fairy queen and helped to raise me. However, I have never been told the true story of when the fairy clan found me. Now I am asking you, friend to friend what happened."
"Um, well," Geliva hesitated.
"I deserve to know the truth."
"Yes, well, it was many years ago. There had been a great fire near the mountains. The fairy queen had sent two fairies to investigate the situation. They were gone for awhile but then flew back saying they had found a baby. More of the fairies, including I, went to the mountain peaks to help rescue you. I remember the first time I set eyes on you. Your beautiful hazel eyes and that tattered cloth you were hastily wrapped in sitting in the pile of charred grass"
She stopped for a second.
"Then?" Greor questioned.
"Its terrible to mention. I remember it vividly. There were dead bodies all around the area. Burnt bodies..."
Greor frowned at this.
"None of them were your parents. We tested all the bodies with fairy magic to see, but we found no existence of your parents within the scene. We tried many times to find them. At one town, Delibri Town, we discovered your mothers identity. They even knew you."
"Who was she?! Why haven't you told me this"
Greor was now a little angry and sad.
"The fairy queen forbid us to tell you of it. I would be in trouble if she found out about this. Well, anyway, her name was Jaenie. She was described as having black hair and hazel eyes; just like you. She was loved by everyone."
"What about my father?"
"We were told he ran away shortly after you were born. We never got his name."
"My father abandoned me and my mother?"
A tear now trickled down Greor's cheek as they walked the path. Geliva flew over and picked it up admiring it in the sunlight.
"I'm afraid so. We also were told that your mother fled and took you with her. No one could tell us why. But, we did discover that others had disappeared from towns. They must have planned to meet and go somewhere."
Geliva threw the tear into the air and it came down as sparkling dust.
Greor was silent for a few hours. Geliva flew up over the trees to see how far they were. She could see a river. She estimated that it was about two miles away. The sun was also starting to fade.
"We are almost out, Greor!" Geliva exclaimed, "I see a river beyond the trees.
Greor nodded.
They walked for about five minutes when Greor thought he saw a branch move. He looked up and saw nothing. He turned around and there was nothing. But when he turned back around what he saw was a rather attractive young woman wearing a two piece dress made of deer skin. She also had bright blonde hair.
"Well what do we have here?" the woman said slyly.
"An old man and a fairy," another woman said that stepped out from the brush; this one, having brunette hair.
"We were just cutting through to get to the river," Geliva said while flying slowly ahead of Greor.
"You mean cutting through our territory," the blonde woman said.
"We apologize for disrupted in anything you may have been doing, we had to cut through here. I assure you that our business is important."
"Important or not, you're still in our territory and we want you out!" the blonde woman snapped.
"Come on, sis. Let's leave them alone. We'll handle them later. Have you forgotten what tonight is?" the brunette one asked.
"Oh yes. It is that time isn't it. Well, we'll leave you two alone, for now."
"But, we'll find you again at nightfall. It's a full moon tonight. And lets just say that light from a full moon brings the "bad side" of us out. We'll bring some of our friends with us to."
They both laughed while disappearing into the trees.
"Greor," Geliva said while shaking, "I'm scared."
"We must hurry to get out of here," Greor said a little shaken himself, "I don't know what they meant by that, but we don't want any trouble."
Greor began to walk at a fast pace this time with Geliva trailing beside. The sky was already slightly orange. Night would fall soon.
Forty-five minutes passed and night was almost there. Geliva flew up once again and saw that they still had away to go.
"We are not going to make it!"Geliva yelled frantically.
"We must."
It was now dark. Bright rays of the moon were issuing from between branches. Because of this, it made the covered parts visible.
Greor and Geliva still walked hurriedly. They did so for about another two hours. Again, Geliva flew up. She could now see that they were very near to the end. All was looking good until a great rustle came.
They both turned around and saw the two woman. This time, a young man wearing a necklace of bones, a deer skin loin cloth and cape were with them. They were all standing in a covered part where no moonlight was shining through.
"So these are your tasty looking, I mean lovely looking friends you met earlier?" the man asked.
"Yes, master," the blonde woman replied.
"Come on!" the brunette woman said excitedly, "Lets play with them!"
"Are the others here?" the man asked.
"Yes," a dingy voice said from the shadows.
Greor looked and in front of him and Geliva, four more people came. Two men and two women.
"What do you mean, play?" Geliva asked in a scared tone.
The blonde woman walked up in front of them and stood before a beam of moonlight that was about two feet long. She stuck her hand in it and it turned into a furry, gnarled claw.
"We told you two earlier that moonlight brings out our bad side," she said while moving the claw back and forth.
All the others began to laugh.
She stuck her head in the beam. It transformed into the head of a evil wolf with barred teeth.
"Run," she said.
Greor grasped and took hold of Geliva as he ran as fast as he could down the trail. He could hear frantic rustling behind him. Geliva turned and looked. There were werewolves chasing after them. When they went into a covered area, they would turn briefly back into a human. Then, when they hit the beams, would turn into their "bad side".
Geliva began shooting fairy spells at them only to find they would slightly flinch. Greor then turned around, held out his staff and said a spell quickly. A red dome spread out from the staff and hit the wolves with great force. They were put into a daze and fell backwards.
"Greor!" Geliva shouted while throwing a pinch of dust onto him, "Think of a happy thought!"
"Why!?"
"JUST DO IT!"
Greor thought of his mother; and like that, he lifted off the ground.
"Follow me!" Geliva said while flying above the trees.
Greor shot forward and was up above the trees with Geliva. They now flew out of the forest and onto a large, wide tree that sat beside the river they needed to cross. Just as Greor got above a limb that was bigger than he was, he fell down.
"What was that?" Greor asked.
"It's my Aunt Tinkerbell's fairy dust. If you sprinkle some on you and think of a happy thought, you will be able to fly. I only had enough for that small escape though."
Greor looked down and saw the werewolves coming out of the forest. They then went right under the tree where they were blocked from the moonlight.
"Aw! Where did they go?" the blonde woman yelled, "You let them get away, sis!"
"Me! You were in front!"
"Stop it!" the man yelled, "This is unacceptable! The third meal we have lost in a week! Lets go!"
They all ran back into the forest.
"We might as well get some sleep," Greor said while laying down on the flat branch.
"Yes, you are right," Geliva replied while grabbing a leaf and laying it on the branch.
"Tomorrow, we shall cross the river..."

Chapter 4: The Track of Doom

Greor's eyes opened and were flooded with the bright morning light. He blinked hazily while looking at Geliva who was still sprawled out on her leaf fast asleep. Greor then saw a bright purple fruit hanging on a limb that was near the branch they were on. He suddenly realized that he was hungry. He went over and picked it off the branch. Then he peeled off the skin only to be let down by the fact that it was infested with poison spores. The curse had affected this tree already. Instead of feasting on fruit, he ate some bread that was in his pouch. As he nibbled on it he watched the raging water from the Scamanderan River.
"How should we do this?" he thought to himself.
He finally decided the best thing to do would be to freeze a ice path across it. This would be easy and take no time at all.
Awhile later, Geliva woke up.
"Good morning," Greor said.
"Mornin," Geliva replied while giving a big yawn.
Geliva walked over to the loaf of bread and picked her off a piece. She then flew over to a knot on the limb and sat down while happily munching on the bread. After she finished she flew down to the bottom of the tree and then guided Greor down so he would not fall. The two of them walked over to the edge of the river. Something jumped up out of the water as they did.
"What was that?" Geliva asked curiously.
Another jumped. Greor got a good look at this one.
"Piranha birds," Greor said, "This could cause some difficulty."
"How are you planning to get across?"
"Freeze a path. But that may not be a good idea with piranha birds in the water."
"Oh! Don't be scared of some old bird! I can take um!"
Geliva started to fly across the river. She hovered a second in the air and turned around.
"You see? There not gonna bother u...."
One jumped out of the water and grasped Geliva with it's scaly claws. The bird went back under and then jumped out again.
"GELIVA!" Greor yelled in horror.
"Help!" The bird went under the water. "Me!"
Greor ran down the edge of the river trying to catch up with the bird. He could hear Geliva's muffled cries for help. If he were to fire a spell it would hit the bird and Geliva. He then thought of something.
"Ereh gnirb," he yelled.
A yellow orb shot out of his staff and levitated in mid air in the direction the bird was going.
"Please work, please work."
Sure enough, the bird jumped out of the water and hit the yellow orb. Immediately, the orb flew back to Greor and a dead piranha bird grasping Geliva was at his feet.
Greor untangled Geliva from the claws. He then picked up the fishy looking bird and threw it back into the river.
"My friend, are you all right?"
"Yes," Geliva said while coughing with water flying out her mouth.
"Come, lets hurry and get across this forsaken river."
Greor raised his staff and froze a ice bridge across the river. He picked up Geliva and got carefully on to it and began to walk at a steady fast pace as to not slide off the slippery ice. Finally, they reached the other side.
"I guess we look for a pond now," Greor said, "Do you have enough strength to fly up into the air."
"Yes, I think so," Geliva replied while wringing out her hair.
She flew up into the air and then flew back down quite quickly.
"There it is! A pond! We have to walk beyond those bushes!"
Greor began to walk with Geliva on his shoulder. They passed the bushes and found themselves in a thin area of trees. He walked awhile; soon, a clearing came into view. It was a fairly large pond.
"Now what?" Geliva asked.
"I don't know. Lets look around."
Greor walked closer to the pond until he was almost at the edge. He then noticed holes were dug in the ground. He peered into one and found a hunk of cheese in it. He walked further and found more holes with cheese in them. He finally came to a built up mound that had a large hole in it. It was big enough for a small animal to fit in. He peered into the darkness.
"Peeping tom! Peeping tom!" a wild voice cried from within it.
"Hello?" Greor called.
"Hiya!" a midget said while he waddled out of the hole.
"Is that the one?" Geliva asked Greor.
"I don't know."
"What do you mean, am I the one?!" the midget said loudly.
"Do you know anything about Atlantis?" Greor asked.
"Oh," the midget said while smiling, "No."
Geliva sent a confused look to Greor.
"That would be my uncle you are looking for. He lives right over that forest and past the river behind it."
"Oh mercy," Greor said while burying his face in his hands, "We have traveled hard thinking this is the place we need to be."
"Well I can take you there if you like," the midget said smiling.
Greors face lit up.
"Thank you," he said.
"No problem. Well anyway, names Sammy."
"I am Geliva and this is my friend Greor."
Just then, a loud shrieking scream could be heard. Sammy's got excited by this.
"Oh boy! Lunch!"
Sammy waddled over to some of the holes and peered inside. He got to one and backed away in fear. Greor peered inside of the hole. What he saw was a small demon. An imp.
"Tis a demon!" Greor yelled while pointing his staff at the imp.
"Please! Please don't hurt me!" the imp whined.
"And why shouldn't I?" Greor asked, "You are helping to destroy this land!"
"No! No! I am not. I have left Jecauron and his people. Or banished from them. I do not wish to destroy. I do not wish to practice dark magic as my peers. This is why I was banished!" the imp said while beginning to cry in fear.
It looked up at Greor and he could see the good spirit in it's eyes. He lowered his staff while taking pity on the creature. It hopped out of the hole.
"Greor!" Geliva exclaimed, "What are you doing!"
"I see truth within his eyes."
The imp smiled pleasantly.
"Oh!" the imp yelled, "A flower!"
He ran over to a blue tulip with his tail swaying behind him. He then moved his fingers around it. This made it become brighter and perkier.
"Hehe!" he chanted.
This proved to Geliva that he was telling the truth. This was the first demon Geliva had ever seen that adored flowers. Sammy too was amazed by this.
"What is your name?" Greor asked.
"Koady," it replied.
"We are on a quest to find the Sapphire Star. It will fix this land of the curse that has been cast upon it. Would you like to join us?"
"Oh! I love quest! And I would be helping do some good if I went. Yes! Yes! I will help you!"
"Okay," Sammy said agitated, "Do you want me to take you to my uncles or not?"
"Oh, sorry, yes," Greaor said.
Sammy waddled over to a root sticking out of the ground. He pulled it like a lever and the pond drained.
"Right this way."
Greor, Geliva, and Koady followed the imp into the middle of the drained pond. Sitting there was a strange looking mine cart. It was laid a track.
"Hop in!"
The three of them got in the wet cart as Sammy climbed up on to a drivers seat. There were two levers on either side of him for steering.
"Go!" Sammy yelled while pushing the two levers forward.
The cart zoomed down the track at an amazing speed. It then made a sharp turn down and went into the ground. All was dark for awhile. They were speeding down a dark tunnel. Then the cart burst out of the surface. They were now in the forest. The track was now turning all kinds of ways. It was even held up on stilts that made it go in the air! The track twisted and turned. Geliva sat on the bottom feeling sick. Greor began to get dizzy. But Koady was enjoying it.
"Woohoo!" Koady yelled.
"Faster! Faster! Faster!" Sammy yelled while pushing the levers even further forward.
They were going faster then ever. A turn was coming.
"Left!" Sammy yelled while making the cart go left, "Right!"
Sammy was now laughing hard and madly. His face was red. Koady was doing just the same. Everything was spinning to Greor and Geliva.
They were now coming to a clearing.
The cart went up into the air and then plummeted down as they it his the surface of a river. Water flew everywhere and soaked everyone. After that, another pond was coming into view. As the cart neared a large stone cave Sammy began to slow it.
"Stop!" he yelled while pulling back on the levers. Everyone flew foward.
"Now ya'll come back anytime to Sammy's World! Our main attraction- the Track of Doom..."

A good strong theme running through and well structured; easy to follow along with and very imaginative. I enjoyed your story and look forward to any more postings from you!

Sorry the above posting was from me… I didn’t realize my brother was logged on and I posted under his name.

thank you

I'm in the middle of ch. 5 right now. I have a mild case of writers block. When I get about 3 more chapters completed I'll post.