THE SHADOWS( Members from the three kingdoms who have come together to seek salvation.)
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The thin crescent moon hung low like a silver blade in the starless sky where darkness pulled thick in the woods beneath it. In the thick canopy of trees, owls hooted from a distance, their sound clashing against the chirping of crickets and echoing throughout the dark and eerily quiet woods.
Underneath the sky, in the middle of the woods, a round stone hedge stood tall with a lantern burning bright purple flames sitting on top of it.
From the right corner of the woods, a figure with a cloak over their head and a large book which they clutched to their chest walked out between the canopy of trees, slowly and carefully stalked to the stone hedge and dropped the book on it.
Slowly again, the figure rounded the stone hedge, while muttering some words. They stopped at their foot of the hedge and raised their face to the starless sky. Inside the cloak over their head, a thin piece of cloth covered their face leaving only their eyes visible.
"Come brethren. You are safe." Her soft voice echoed throughout the woods. Twigs snapped and scattered movements were heard as people walked out from the corners of the woods and soon, twelve individuals in cloaks that covered their faces surrounded the stone hedge.
The twelve individuals had their heads lowered and just like the lady before them, they too had their faces covered exposing only their eyes.
"Stand tall brethren and embrace your salvation." The lady spoke. The twelve individuals turned and shook hands with one another without leaving their circle.
"Very well then," the lady began, her voice clearer. "Let us now hear the feedback from our brethren on the assigned task."
Three among the twelve took a step forward. "As instructed," one of the three began. "Myself; acolyte Seven, acolyte Ten and acolyte Three, left the borders of our kingdoms in search of the Elyrian, as sang by the elders. We went past the desert, we faced the Singing Ocean and walked into the far lands but sadly, we couldn't find the anything close to a tree. The Elyrian is just as we know it; a myth."
"Lies!" One of the twelve spat out in his thin voice. He was acolyte Thirteen; the last member of The Shadows known for his sharp tongue and hot temper. "The Elyrian exists, we know it."
"What reason does he have to lie to you, brother? The Elyrian is what we all seek." Acolyte Ten asked.
"Brother? I am not a brother to you. And for all we know, you connived amongst you and hid the knowledge of the Elyrian to yourselves."
Acolyte Seven scoffed. "Are you saying Acolytes Three and Ten are also keeping the knowledge to themselves too? Those are some serious allegations, brother Thirteen."
"The three of you are up to something, I know it. The Elyrian exists because it has been foretold, the book of light never lies."
"If your think we took the risk of leaving our lands and walking into the far lands just to come back with lies, maybe you should go in search of it yourself." Ten retorted.
"Maybe I will. And when I do, you three will meet the same fate as Fourteen."
"Enough!" Acolyte One thundered. "This is what they want, the enemy. They want to bring distraction and hatred in our midst to stop us from achieving the great cause but we wouldn't allow that. Acolyte Thirteen and acolyte Ten, stand tall and embrace your salvation." Acolyte One crossed her hands behind her and watched as Thirteen and Ten held each other in a tight embrace.
"Brethren," she shouted, her voice echoing throughout the woods. "Stand tall and embrace your salvation. Embrace your brothers and your sisters for we must stand as one to defeat this war." The twelve went around shaking and hugging each other briefly and returned to their previous positions immediately after.
"Now, Acolyte Seven if you could continue on your information for us."
"Yes," Seven began. "The Elyrian is a myth. I believe it was just a tale-"
"A tale," Acolyte One faced Seven. "You mock our fathers!"
"No, Acolyte. I am only saying what I-"
"The Elyrian exists! I know it because it was written in the book of our Fathers and their fathers before them. In the book of the light and salvation. You think our Fathers would lie to us? You think they would deceive us? No. Never! You have failed this task. Failed in the sight of your brethren and you Fathers."
The three acolytes fell to their knees immediately with their head bowed lowly, almost kissing the ground. "But we searched the whole land, Acolyte. Almost to the end of the earth and we didn't find it. Ten, who had been quiet since the discussion started spoke.
"Maybe you didn't search well enough. I want you all out there searching for it all day long. The enemy is upon us, our foe is at our doorstep, and I would rather drown in pig's blood than yield to the enemy. Go, all of you and find the tree. Bring back the salvation of our Fathers!"
"All of us all at once? We are risking exposure."
Acolyte one walked up to the member who spoke and grabbed them by the arm. "We must find the Elyrian, whatever the cost."