In a realm unlike our own, in a small but well known kingdom known as Woodburrow, lived a princess Elf named Flora.
She was different from the other Elves, her ears were a bit smaller and her attitude was unlike most Wood Elves.
She spent her early years with her sister Hannah who Flora loved dearly.Her father Draven was king of Woodburrow, it was a small castle with a farming village at it's side.
Although it was a small castle and village compared to most, it was well known for trading. This was her home.
One night Flora had a dream, a dream that set her destiny in motion...
She was in the woods just beyond the village of Woodburrow. She was following a small floating light. It was dark, she couldn't make out any distinctive features of the woods other than a cave that lead into a mountain.
The light lead her into the cave where she found a bowl of fire. Inside the burning bowl was a necklace with a black diamond as it's center. The smoke from the fire was thick, there was a face in it.
She reached out and touched the fire. It danced above her skin not burning her. When she began to play with the fire she found herself back in the village, but it was in flames... a voice whispered,
"Enenra."
Flora woke from her dream, afraid... She'd had the dream three times already."You had the dream again didn't you?" Her sister asked, she was lurking in a dark corner of Flora's room.
"What are you doing in here?" She asked.
"I heard you screaming." Hannah answered. "I was worried."
"It was the same dream." Flora said as she curled into a ball.
"As your older sister it is my job to protect you." Hannah said after sitting down on the bed. "I can't protect you from your dreams."
Hannah has always been there for Flora. She was there when she needed help, when she got in trouble, she was like a big sister should be.
"I think it means something." Flora said.
"Like what?" Asked Hannah.
"I don't know..."
"You should talk with Grandpa about it." She suggested.
"Why?"
"He is a wise man no matter how old and crazy he may be." She answered. "If anyone can tell you what it means it's him."
Her smile was comforting.
"Thank you Hannah." Flora said after embracing her with a hug.
"I'm always here for you my little fireball." Hannah squeezed her tight...
"Now get some sleep, we have big news coming tomorrow." With that she left, and Flora slept....
With the rising of the sun she woke, the warmth of its glare seeping in from her window made Flora happy.
She rose from her bed and got dressed, she was ready to start her day. She decided to talk to her grandfather first while her dream was still fresh in her memory. She left her room and wondered through the halls of the castle with a spring in her step.
Flora was a very happy girl, and she loved to have fun. She could find joy in many simple things.
Her grandfather usually started his mornings in the garden, she decided to go there first.
When she arrived she found a gardener working in the garden but not her Grandfather. The bright green grass and colorful flowers were a delight to her eyes, and the noise from the flowing of the pond was soothing to her pointy ears.
"Have you seen my grandfather?" Flora asked the gardener.
"No your highness, he has not visited the garden yet." He answered.
"Thank you." She replied turning around and walking away.
She thought her grandfather might start his day with a meal instead of going to the garden, so she left to the dinning room. There she found Hannah sitting at a table eating soup.
"Hannah," She said. "Have you seen Grandfather?"
"Yes I did." She answered. "He was going to the library when I saw him."
"Thanks." Flora replied turning to walk away.
"Flora wait." Hannah said. "Can I talk with you for a moment?"
"Sure." She answered, then sat at the table with her sister.
"Father has arranged for me to marry a human prince, this you already know." She said. "But he will give you news today, and after you receive this news things will be different."
"Different how?" She asked.
"I cannot answer." Said her sister. "I only wish to prepare you for it."
"I don't know what you mean." Flora replied.
"I know... Just be ready when he tells you." Something was off with her sister today.
"I will be." She replied. "Now I must find grandfather." She turned and left the dinning room.
From there Flora left to the massive library. The books and shelves of books stretched two stories tall, and it was almost a labyrinth.
"Grandpa!" She shouted. "Are you in here?"There was a brief pause...
"Yes my dear!" He answered. "Over here." She walked deeper into the library and found him next to a shelf of books in the back.
"What was it you wanted my dear?" He asked.
"I wish to know about a dream I had, I thought you could tell me." She answered.
"I can't make you a promise I can, but I can make you a promise I might be able to."
"Please don't be confusing grandpa." She asked.
"Alright Flora, I won't be. Now tell me about this dream."
"In the dream I'm in the woods outside the village, I follow this light into a cave. In the cave I find a bowl on fire, and in the bowl a necklace. When I touch the fire I don't get burned, but when I begin to play with it the village is destroyed by it."
"Hmm... It sounds to me like this light is your destiny, and it leads you to a choice. When given the choice you decide to play with destructive power, and your people suffer from this."
"I don't want to hurt anyone for my mistakes!" She replied.
"Don't worry my dear." Her Grandfather replied. "The dream shows you a future, but you can decide if it's the future to be, or not to be. And I am not a master of dreams, it may mean you shouldn't play with fire."
"Thank you Grandpa!" She replied giving him a hug. "There is one more thing."
"What's that my dear?" He asked.
"In my dream I hear the word Enenra. What does it mean?" When she said the word her Grandfathers smile faded and was replaced with fear.
"Describe the necklace you saw in the bowl of fire."
"It was a choker, with a black diamond in the center." She answered. His face held the look of terror.
"I must mix you some herbs, hopefully they can help you avoid these dreams."
"What does it mean Grandpa?" She asked.
"No, no, don't dream these dreams child." He replied.
"Grandpa you're talking crazy, what does it mean? What is a Enenra?"
He took a deep breath... "I must tell you a story." He said.
"It was a long time ago, I was a young man then. There was a man in the village, a Demon known as an Enenra."
"A Demon who can transform into smoke and vapor. This man was no ordinary Enenra, for he was something much more."
"With each life he took he would claim his victims soul, and with each soul he collected he became more powerful."
"Soon, his magic was unmatched. He took half of my soul..."
"There are things I will never feel or experience ever again. He took a part of me, and I know it is only a matter of time before he takes the rest of my soul. That is why I may seem crazy or unusual."
"It took all of the Mages in the kingdom to cast a spell that placed the Enenra in a everlasting sleep. They locked him away and gave their lives with their magic to keep him locked away. I was there when his tomb was closed, and I never thought back on that day until now..."
"He was a plague to the people for a century, he must never be awoken."
"What does it have to do with the necklace?" She asked.
"I... I must go now, I love you child but you must stop having these dreams." He ran out of the library.
"Grandpa wait!" She shouted, but she was too late and he was gone. He moved fast for a old Elf.
A Woodburrow guard approached her.
"Princess Flora, your presence is requested in the great hall." He said.
"Thank you." She replied. "I'll be on my way then."
She left the library wondering why her grandfather was so afraid of her dreams. She wanted to know about the Demon Enenra, and the necklace.
She tried to put those thoughts away for the moment for she was approaching The Great Hall, the place her Fathers throne stood.
When she entered she stood on the long red carpet that stretched across the lengthy hall, and at the end was her Father the king sitting on the throne. To his right sat Hannah who was of age to the throne.
Elves live about 30 years longer than humans. To be of age to the throne you must be 20 or older. Hannah was 20 years old while Flora was 19.
To the kings left was a empty seat where her mother once sat. Flora never knew her mother, but she often imagined her sitting on the left chair as if she saw her there before.
"Daughter." The king said. "I have something to tell you."
"As I have heard." She replied. "What is it father?"
"As you know Hannah is of age to the throne, she is to marry a son of king Elton from Stonebrush. This will unite the Elves and Humans of Woodburrow and Stonebrush."
"What does this have to do with me?" She asked.
"The king of Stonebrush, king Elton, has three sons. You are of age to marry, you will marry his youngest son."
His words made Flora's stomach ache, she felt sick.
"I don't want to marry anyone!" She said with a tone full of anger. "Yet alone a stranger! And he's a human!"
"You will put your differences aside and do as I command." He replied.
Flora turned to her sister. "You knew about this didn't you?" Her tone furious.
"Yes, and I was only trying to protect you." She answered.
"Then call off this foolish marriage! I will not marry him, I won't!"
"Flora!" The king shouted.
His words couldn't change anything now, she was already in a sprint running away.
"Flora wait!" Her sister shouted running after her. She ignored her as she ran out the castle doors.
She ran through the village and into the fields. From the fields she ran into the woods.
Tears were running down her face as she ran past the trees. She wouldn't marry anyone unless it was her own choice. She couldn't bear the thought of being with someone she didn't love.
She was now at least a mile into the woods, her legs were getting tired but she couldn't stop. She needed to get away.
As she was running between two trees her foot got caught on one of their roots. She was tossed to the ground, and when she hit her head collided with a log. She fell unconscious...
When she woke the sun was near gone. She didn't recognize where she was anymore. She placed her hand on her forehead to feel dried blood.
"How long was I out?" She asked herself. Her head hurt, she was tired and felt dizzy.
A butterfly landed on her hand, it's colors delightful to Flora.
"Hello little butterfly. Do you know where I can find some water?" She asked. The butterfly lifted off her hand and began to fly away.
Flora rose to her feet and followed the creature. She had no idea where she was going, but she couldn't go back to her home. She decided to go wherever the butterfly lead her.
She followed it to a mountain, on the side of the mountain was a large stone door. The butterfly disappeared through the door by slipping into a crack towards the top. Flora pushed on the door but nothing budged. There were no levers or switches, there was no way to open it.
"This must be where we part ways then." Flora said turning around. When she took the first step away from the door a loud thump stopped her. She turned to see the door had fallen.
"How is this possible?" She asked. Flying above the now collapsed stone door was the butterfly, it disappeared into the dark.
Flora stepped inside to find a cave. The butterfly lead her deeper inside where it stopped at a puddle of water, drips of water seeped from the top of the cave and fell into the puddle. A crack at the top let in light from the sun. Flora stood under the drops and let them drip into her open mouth.
"Thank you." She said to the butterfly. She didn't know if it was magic or luck but she was happy. After she drank the butterfly flew out the door.
Flora looked around the dark cave, in it's center was a stone coffin. She approached the coffin staring at it, something about it was speaking to her.
It called to her, she was drawn to it.
She pushed on the top trying to push the lid off...
"Come on! Budge!" She growled as she pushed. It felt as if she wasn't in control, she needed to see what was inside.
Finally it moved.
The corner of it was pushed off, it was only a sliver open. As soon as it was partly open, the ground began to shake, parts of the cave ceiling broke apart and fell. A large piece broke and fell on the coffin cracking the lid.
Flora backed away from the coffin, a cloud of thick black smoke began to form above it.
She thought about running out the cave, running back home. But she couldn't, she needed to know.
From the cloud of smoke emerged a dark figure covered by a cloak and armor, a sword at its side and jewel at its chest. It was shaped like a man but Flora knew it was not Human nor Elf.
"Speak Elven girl." He said, something about his voice seemed unnatural. "How many summers have passed since my reign?"
She was speechless.
"Answer me." He replied. The dark helmet over his face frightened her.
"I don't know." She said.
"Foolish Elf, you're stupidity has awakened me. You are the first who has followed what magic I have left, but even so, I am grateful for my release."
"What are you?" She asked.
"I knew you were foolish but I was unaware you were blind. I am a Demon." He stepped closer.
"What do you want?" Flora asked.
The Demon chuckled. "You need not fear me yet Elven girl, you have freed me, I will spare you till next we meet." His fingers brushed her hair back, this made her spine shiver with fear.
"What is thy name?" The Demon asked.
"Flora, of Woodburrow." She answered.
"Are you of royal blood?" He asked.
"...No." She lied.
"You remind me of someone, a very kind soul." He turned his back to her. "If we meet again know that I won't be so kind."
He disappeared in a cloud of black smoke.
What did I just do? She wondered.
The thought of her family crossed her mind, all thought of resentment flee from her mind over fear of their safety. She needed to know that they were okay.
She left the cave and ran through the woods towards her home, the sun now set.
All light from the sun was gone and night had creeped in when she arrived.Her heart felt pain, her stomach tightened and her legs felt weak. She stood still in shock as she watched the village in flames.
She imagined there would be people in panic trying to put out the fires but there was no one alive, they all lie dead.
Their bodies were lifeless, most of them burned to a crisp. She saw families holding each other in their arms, their corpses burned together.
She pushed forward running to the castle, she needed to find her family...
Inside the guards lie dead and lifeless, their body's looked to have aged for decades.At the end of the hall lie her father.
She ran to him, blood pour out from under him.
"Flora..." He whispered. He was near death.
She held him in her arms, tears falling from her face.
"I'm sorry father." She cried.
"He took her.."
"Who?" She asked.
"The Demon, took Hannah.." He coughed blood.
"I'm so sorry."
"No... Seek King Elton, he will help you.."
"I love you father."
"As I love you.. My sweet.. Flora..." His eyes gazed into the abyss of nothing, he was dead.
She cried over his body morning his death, his blood covering her hands.
"Flora..." A faint voice called. She looked to her left to see her grandfather laying on the ground.
She ran to him.
"Grandfather!" She screamed. He looked decayed and dead, like he'd aged hundreds of years.
"He took my soul, I don't have long." He said with a raspy voice. "He took your sister, one of seven."
"What?"
"Listen!... If he collects the blood of seven royal bloodlines he will open a portal, it will link our realm with the dark realm. He will unleash a Demon army and fulfill his deed."
"I don't know what to do."
"You.. You must stop him. You're the only one that can!" He cried out.
"I can't!" She said. "I'm just a Elven girl."
"You are much more than that child. Protect the bloodlines, don't let him complete the ritual."
"I won't let you down Grandfather." She said.
"You never could." He replied, his eyes closed, he seemed at peace, but he was dead.
She knelt with tears falling from her face, she watched as her home burned to the ground. In her sorrow she found a new feeling of rage and anger. She would stop the Demon, and kill him for what he's done.