Balance of the World
Chapter 2-Prophecy

Chapter 2: Prophecy

Eliassat in a chair at a large oak table in front of a fireplace, Zoey sitting nextto him on the table as he reclined back with a sigh.

“Now,”he sighed, tapping the arm of the chair. “This dream of yours…explain every detail to me.”

Shenodded and explained everything as he gave her his undivided attention, andwhen she came to the end he could see the fear in her face. Feeling compelled to comfort her, he satforward slightly to take her hand, making her look to his hand before lookingback at him when he winced in pain. Shestood tall and helped him recline back again as he gave a groan.

“Youshouldn’t move too much,” she murmured. “You’ll make it worse.”

“It’llbe fixed up in no time,” he groaned. “Just a flesh wound.”

“Typicalmale response,” Zoey sighed, then asked, “What do you think my dream means?”

Eliasgave a sigh as he looked to the fire in the fire place and murmured, “I’m nointerpreter of dreams. But, it is odd that you would dream of me whenwe’ve never met.”

“Doyou know…why I’m here?” she asked, drawing his gaze back to her. “That Ram-rock—”

“Ramran,”Elias corrected.

“Whatever,”she muttered. “One of them didn’t knowwhat a girl was. He thought I was awitch or an elf.”

“Iknow nothing else, Zoey, I’m sorry,” he replied.

“Don’tlie to me,” she warned, flatly as he looked to her with wide eyes. “You know something. I see it in your eyes.”

Eliasstill stared at her for a moment. Ofcourse he was hiding something, but now? After all this time? It couldn’tbe a coincidence that she had appeared at the time she had. The dream, as well, had to be proof.

“I…amnot sure you want to know what it is I’m thinking right now, Zoey,” hecautioned.

Shesat on the table again, this time a little closer to him. She never was one for begging, but being in astrange place with no one she knew, except Elias, for whatever reason, she hadno time to think if pride.

“Please,Elias,” she begged, her eyes full of fear as she looked up at him. “I need answers. I need you to tell me everything you know, orthink you know. I’m scared out of my mind. Please, tell me.”

Hestared at her in thought for a moment trying to come up with a reason not to tell her, but he couldn’t.

“Zoey,”he began. “I will tell you what Iknow. But first, I must tell you aboutKalina, alright?”

Zoeynodded and he sat back a bit more to pat his left knee for her to have a seatthere. She swallowed as a blush crawledover her cheeks when she stood and then perched on his knee.

“Kalinais a place of balance and light,” he began. “Everything good here has an opposite evil. Every human that lives here was called bysome unknown force, as you were andonly men have ever been called. You are the first woman to be calledhere.

“Manycreatures live here. Men, mermaids,elves, wizards, griffins, centaurs, ramrans, sirens, trolls, witches, dragons,werewolves and fairies. For the moment,Kalina is being ruled by a pirate king, named, Captain Kaysar Pitkam. He is a good king, for a pirate. Perhaps I’ll take you to meet him.”

“I’dlike that,” Zoey smiled then said, “I think I can figure out which creaturesbalance each other out, but you mentioned fairies. What balances them?”

“Thereare different types of fairies,” Elias explained. “Sleep, flight, truth and dark. The Dark Fairies outnumber any one of theother types of fairies and therefore make up the balance. Every fairy glows a different color toidentify them by. Sleep Fairies arelavender, as you saw back in the tunnel, and as demonstrated, when they sprinkletheir fairy dust on you, you would fall asleep. Flight Fairies have a yellow light, and if they sprinkle their dust onyou—”

“Youcan fly,” Zoey nodded as she finished, making Elias smirk as she curled up onhis lap to lean her head on his left shoulder to avoid hurting him before hecontinued.

“TruthFairies glow white and their dust makes you tell the truth…about anything, and the Dark Fairies…” Hetrailed off, making Zoey frown at him before he continued, “They are acompletely different matter. They glow adeep purple. When they sprinkle theirdust on you, any dark thoughts you may have are increased and may cause you todo…many things you regret and will always remember. You turn into a completely different personif you’re not treated in time.”

Hisface seemed to shadow over as he gazed into the fire and he felt Zoey fidget inhis lap. He looked down at her to seeher peacefully sleeping then sighed in exasperation. With his wound, and her on his lap, hecouldn’t move at all. Zoey snuggled intohis chest and he couldn’t help but smile. He hesitantly wrapped an arm around her, not wanting her to fall and sheburied her face into his neck, making him swallow. He had to admit, it was nice having a femalearound his house again. He hadn’t had afeminine presence there since Eona had been there.

Eona.

Theelf woman who had taken care of him when he had been called to Kalina. She had been so beautiful and pure. Her hair was long, like a wave of silvercascading down her back, ending at her waist. Her eyes were like two pools of aqua green and you could lose yourselfin them if you weren’t careful.

Shehad been like a mother to a ten year old Elias when he’d been calledthere. He had been running from a manhe’d stolen an apple from as a street urchin on the streets of London. He’d ran down an alley and heard a voice call out to him. He’d followed it until his attention wascaught by a silver flash of light in the darkness. The ground had suddenly disappeared beneathhis feet, and he literally fell from the sky of Kalina.

WhenEona had stumbled upon him, it had been raining and he had sprained his anklefrom the fall. One look at him and shecouldn’t leave him. He didn’t have theface he did now, however. It was easy towant to take care of a ten year old boy with the face of a little angel. But he was a different man now, and Eona wasgone. She’d been gone for a year now,and when she’d disappeared, that’s when the war began.

Thewar against the Mor Witch, Jellina who wanted to rule over all Kalina. If that happened, the balance would be ruined,and everything would be chaos. Eliasknew now that the only person who could defeat Jellina and keep the balance oftheir world was the girl in his arms. Healso knew that if he was right, he wasthe one that was meant to protect her.

Eliaswas jolted from his thoughts when he heard the door behind him open andfootsteps as well. His handinstinctively went for his sword, his other arm still around Zoey.

“Sir?”he heard Varen call, and let his hand fall from his sword.

“Quiet,Varen,” Elias whispered as he heard the door shut. Varen walked around the chair to stand nextto the fireplace and smirked when he saw Zoey sleeping in Elias’s lap.

“AmI interrupting, Sir?” he murmured, making Elias glare at him.

“Carryher into the guest room,” he ordered.

Varenallowed his smirk to grow before doing what he was told and picked her up fromElias’s lap. His eyes widened and hecouldn’t help but blush when she snuggled into his chest as he turned toward thehall. He heard his general chuckle as heraced toward the guest room to gently lay Zoey down on the bed, pulling thecovers over her. He shut the door behindhim and strolled back into the main room to sit at the table.

“Didyou get to Edan?” Elias demanded when he entered.

Varennodded as he walked toward the table to sit in the chair in front of hisgeneral, reporting, “The men are getting restless, Sir. They want to know when we’ll be movingagain.”

“Whenthe time is right.”

“Withall due respect, the time hasn’t been right for a few weeks now.”

“Reportsare still coming in from our allies. Thegriffin scouts are in the skies looking for enemy encampments and keeping aneye out for dragons.”

“Sir,what good will that do for the enemies belowground? Ramrans don’t go into the sunvery often. I’ve yet to see one aboveground since I was called here.”

“Youforget, Varen, there are more creatures than Ramrans we have to contend withthat are fighting for the Mor Witch.”

“Andwhat of the sirens? Surely by now theywould have attacked the king on his ship.”

“Sirenswill do nothing unless provoked, and the king remains in mermaid waters. He never crosses the border.”

Varengave a sigh of thought before reclining back in the chair and asking, “What ofMiss Zoey?”

Eliassighed in thought, wincing in pain from his side as he did then looked back atVaren as the blonde stared at him expectantly. The general caught the look in Varen’s eye and realized, “You noticed itas well, didn’t you?”

“Themoment she spoke of this place being fictional to her, I knew,” Varennodded. “She’s the Savior, isn’tshe? The Enuria.”

“Ibelieve she is.”

Thetwo suddenly heard a blood curdling scream come from the room Zoey was in andVaren instantly shot toward the hallway with Elias trying to get up tofollow. Varen opened the door, ready todraw the sword at his hip but only found Zoey sitting up in the bed, panting infright. She looked to the door, theblood drained from her face, a haunted look in her eyes.

“Varen,”she breathed as he approached the bed and sat next to her on the edge.

“Areyou alright, Miss Zoey?” he hoped, and jumped when she clutched his hands,still staring at him.

“Who’sEona?” she shuddered and Varen gave a frown of confusion.

“Howdo you know that name?” Elias’s voice echoed into the room from the door.

Thetwo sitting on the bed looked to him wide eyes as he stood leaning on thedoorframe, his eyes boring into her.

“Shecame to me in my dream,” Zoey replied.

Eliassaid nothing as he walked slowly toward the bed, ignoring the pain in his side.

“Leaveus,” he told Varen in a low voice and the young man did as he was told, closingthe door on his way out as Elias sat next to Zoey, never once looking away fromher and said, “Tell me.”

“Therewas a girl,” she began. “She was…an elf,I think. She had long silver hair, aquagreen eyes and she told me why I was called here.”

“Herexact words,” Elias demanded, softly.

“Shesaid I was an experiment of some kind, but she was lying. I could tell.”

“Whatmade you scream?” he asked, taking her hand and her eyes glazed over with thesame haunted look Varen had found her with.

“She—”Zoey choked, slightly. “She didn’t…look right. There was something about her eyes. I had this feeling at the bottom of mystomach that she wasn’t who she said she was. Just then she…changed. Shelooked…evil!”

Sheshuddered and leaned toward Elias and he wrapped his arms around her as shebegan to sob.

“Zoey,”Elias breathed softly, stroking her hair. “What did she look like?”

“She…”Zoey sniffled. “She had long black hairand amber eyes. Her skin was ghostlypale and her dress was completely black too.”

Shesnuggled into his arms as he held her then felt him tense up, a low growlcoming from his throat.

“Jellina.”

“Elias?”Zoey whispered against his chest as he still held her. “Who are Jellina and Eona?”

Hesighed and she looked up at him with curious eyes and he smiled down at her,moving a strand of fire red hair from her face. After taking a deep breath he told her about the Mor Witch and the warthat was going on, then finally about Eona, who she was and that she’ddisappeared a year ago.

“Zoey,”he murmured, meeting her gaze of wonder. “There is something you should know. You may be able to save us.

“Thereis a prophecy in Kalina that speak of a woman who would be called here. A unique, kind and compassionate woman whowould see through lies as if they were glass and this woman is said to comewhen the balance of Kalina would be threatened. She would defeat the threat with its own powers and become the new rulerof Kalina.

“Theprophecy also spoke of a man who would stay by her side and protect her fromfriend, foe and herself if necessary. This man would call to her in a dream. The woman would be the Enuria. That is to say…I believe youare the Enuria.”

Shestared at him for a moment, taking everything in as he watched her. She swallowed and gave a nod ofunderstanding.

“So,”she began. “I’ll be expected tofight…using magic?”

Eliasnodded.

“Andif I’m the Enuria, that makes you my…body guard?”

“I’myour protector,” he nodded.

“It’sthe same thing,” Zoey smiled then looked down at her lap before looking back athim and murmuring, “I…I’m not sure if I can do it, Elias. I’m not exactly a brave soul, you know?”

Helifted a hand and placed it under her chin to bring her gaze to his again andher heart fluttered when their eyes met.

“Youwill not be alone, Zoey,” he murmured. “Believe that.”

Zoeyswallowed again but nodded as Elias lowered his hand and smiled, “Perhaps wewill visit the king on his ship in the morning? I’m sure he would be thrilled to meet you.”

“Iwould like that,” she nodded with a small smile as well.

“Verywell,” Elias nodded, and slowly stood. “Now rest. Tomorrow will be a bigday for you, I’m sure.”

Zoeynodded, lying back down to sleep and Elias smiled down at her to watch her asshe fell asleep quickly. There was asoft knock on the door, and Elias tensed as it opened, looking over hisshoulder.

“Elias?”a man’s deep voice called through the crack. “It’s Felix.”

Eliasrelaxed and started toward the door, his side aching, making him groan softlyin pain as he walked up to the door. Heopened the door fully to see a man about twenty-two or so, Zoey’s age. He had short black hair and amber eyes andwore a long, royal blue robe that fell to the floor and had sleeves that fellalmost to his fingertips with huge wide cuffs.

“Felix,”Elias nodded, shuffling past him and into the main room.

“You’rehurt,” Felix noticed, following him and Elias waved him off as he sat in thehuge wooden chair carefully.

“Fleshwound,” he replied, making Felix sigh in exasperation and walked toward Eliasto kneel next to him as the general asked, “Where’s Varen?”

“Inthe kitchen,” Felix replied, lifting Elias’s shirt to see the wound below it.

“Varen!”Elias called, and the young man ran in as Felix slowly removed the bandage fromhis wound. “I need you to take a messageto His Majesty Kaysar. Ask him if Imight bring a visitor aboard his ship tomorrow, and ask if I might have a wordwith him on an important matter tomorrow as well.”

“Cneasaigh,”Felix murmured, which was followed by a small flash of silver light betweenElias’s side and Felix’s hand. When heremoved his hand, the wound had vanished.

“Itshall be done, Sir,” Varen saluted and hurried toward the door as Felix stoodaway from Elias and sat in the chair in front of the general. Elias stretched to see if any pain remainedfrom his wound.

“So,”Felix began. “Varen tells me you’vefound Enuria.”

Eliasnodded, standing from his chair easily now to head back toward the hall,saying, “She’s asleep in the guest room.”

Felixstood and followed Elias as he silently entered the room. Elias stopped at the doorway as Felix steppednext to her as she still slept. He reachedinto a pocket in his sleeve and pulled out a necklace made of a white leathercord with a drop shaped mother of pearl pendent, set in silver. Felix held it above the sleeping Zoey’s headand watched it glow, brightly, almost waking her.

“Well?”Elias asked, leaning on the doorframe with his arms folded across hischest. “Was I right?”

Felixpulled the necklace away and walked back to Elias to place the necklace in hishand to look him in the eye and reply, “She is.”

Meanwhile...

“Youidiot!”

Thefeminine, angry growl echoed through the alabaster throne room. Rada flinched back a bit from his mistress,but he dare not move his feet.

“Itold you to kill Blackwood, not wound him! Now hehas the newcomer!”

“Ma’am,”Rada almost choked. “I’m sorry, but…buthe had a Sleep Fairy with him, and—”

“Idon’t care whether he had a Sleep Fairy on an army of wizards with him!” she snapped from the shadows where her thronesat elevated. “I wanted Blackwood dead!”

“Withall due respect, Ma’am,” Rada hesitantly continued. “This newcomer… What is so special abouther?”

Thewoman on the throne stood and stepped down the steps leading to the blackmarble floor, finally revealing herself in the dim light. She had long, jet black hair that stopped ather waist, framing a ghostly white face with golden amber eyes. Her lips were made up with black lip paint,and her nails were painted black as well. She wore a long, black dress and held a tall, black staff with a goldentop with four onyx stones in it and slammed the end of it to the floor as shestopped in front of Rada.

“Thisnewcomer is not just any newcomer,”Jellina ground out. “If we are notcareful, she will be our undoing, along with that insolent masked man and thatdolt of a boy under his command!”

“Whatis your will, my Queen?” Rada asked, bowing his head in fear.

“Dowhatever you must to rid us of this newest resident of Kalina!” Jellinasnarled. “I want her head on a silverplatter! Blackwood’s as well!”

“Itshall be done, my Mistress,” Rada grinned evilly, thrilled at the prospect ofElias’s death. Rada walked toward theexit, but something pulled at his braid and he faced her again, growling inpain. A little deep purple light flittedaround the room, floating between the two.

“Weshould not be so bold,” the Dark Fairy advised. “It would be exceedingly foolish to attack in anger. It makes us sloppy.”

“Yes,”Jellina nodded in second thoughts. “You’re right, Mori.” She shot aglare to the general in front of her who stood at attention. “Have your Dark Fairy scouts observe the twoand Blackwood’s second in command for a while, then, when the time is right, we will attack.”

Radanodded and turned to walk out the door again and as the door shut, Jellinasighed, walking back to her black marble throne to sit, Mori following her tosit on the arm of the throne.

“Youlooked troubled, Mistress,” she noticed.

“ThisGeneral Blackwood is becoming a thorn in my side,” Jellina sighed. “Why can he not die?!”

“Youknow as well as I, that that would be fartoo easy for you, Ma’am. If he had died in your first attempt to kill him, you have been upset.”

“Perhaps,”Jellina sighed. “Still, it was fun whileit lasted. Now I just want him gone!”

“Areyou so sure that this woman is who you think she is?”

“Yes,”Jellina nodded, flatly. “She saw throughmy image of Eona easily, when I appeared in her dream, and in reading her otherthoughts I had seen that she had dreamt of Blackwood before being called here.”

“Doesshe have any idea of her purpose here?”

“Notthat I could read. We must keep itthat.”

“IfBlackwood thinks she is the Savior, wouldn’t he tell her?”

“Ifhe does, we will have to work twice as quickly. Have the scouts send me reports every hour on the location and what theyare doing.”

“Itshall be done,” Mori replied, flying up into the air then zooming out of theroom.

Jellinareclined back into her throne, drumming her fingers on one of the arms, andgrowling, lowly, “I will not let this woman defeat me! I willhave Kalina for myself. Neither her, norBlackwood, nor that boy can stop me!”