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Flora and Aero sat on Aero’s bed amidst all the books Aero had collected from the library. Many of them were open to pages with sketches of well known buildings and landscapes of the Dark Realm. Others had maps or passages that Aero found interesting.

“Why are you so obsessed with the darkness?” Flora asked concerned while looking over a picture of the Dark Lord’s fortress.

“I don’t know really. There’s just something about it. It’s so different from here. The people there are so strong and strict because the military makes up most of the people who live there. Each city has it’s own division, but the capitol is the most strict. Can you imagine everyone being a skilled fighter? That would be unheard of in the Light.”

“Even here fighting is just a hobby. Mainly nobles do it for sport,” Flora added.

“It’s hard for me to even imagine what life is like there, but Tornado almost seems to enjoy it.”

“So that’s what got you started on this,” Flora laughed, “You’re tying to learn more about Tornado.”

“I guess so,” Aero told her smiling, “I want to understand more about the darkness in general, as well. I feel the more I know the easier it will be for me to understand his current lifestyle.”

“It’s good you want to understand, but just be careful.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m just saying not everyone is like Tornado,” Flora explained, “Some of them may be dangerous. They live in a military centered life, fighting is an everyday event.”

“I know that, but some of them are like Tornado.”

“Just . . . don’t do anything crazy, okay?”

“Don’t worry,” Aero told her closing her book, “I’m not planning anything.”




Rook stepped into the carriage as the early morning sun shone down. He waved to Aero and Flora as the driver shut the door taking his position at the front of the carriage. The carriage carried him out of the capitol stopping in the middle of the forest. Rook walked into the forest until he came across the portal of darkness. As soon as he stepped in it swallowed him. When it receded he found himself before the Dark Lord.

“Hello again, my son.” The Dark Lord looked down from where he sat on his throne. “I hear your little brother visited you during his trip.”

“He did,” Rook answered. He was never able to give lengthy answers when he spoke with his father. The very strength of his darkness was oppressing to the point of suffocation. His clenched hands shook slightly at his sides. The mixture of anger and fear confused his senses and froze him in place.

“Your mother is waiting in her room,” the Dark Lord told him.

“Thank you,” Rook bowed before turning to leave. He managed to walk slowly until the doors closed behind him before sprinting down the hall. He only slowed when he reached his mothers door. Her footsteps answered his knock and she greeted him with a smile.

“Welcome, Rook.” Her gleaming red-orange hair hung long past her shoulders. The dark style dress didn’t suit her earthy appearance. She used to wear a lovely earthy dress made of only natural colors resembling nature. She would wear a crown and style her hair with live plants. She used to be so exotic, so natural. Now, she had become so pale form living with the fortress. She kept only a few plants along the wall. They had also wilted from lack of appropriate sunlight. His mother had wilted. She was only a shadow of the beautiful queen she had once been.

The visit wasn’t long. He spent the day speaking with his mother. As much as he missed her he wished she wouldn’t always talk about the same subject. She longed for him to inherit the name of Dark Lord. She wanted him to rule both the Dark and the Faery. Then, he could conquer the Light and rule all the realms. Rook knew that would never happen. Tornado was proof of that. The Dark Lord had much more planned then he was telling. What their true roles were was hard to know.

While Rook was on his way back to the Dark Lord Tornado met him in the lobby.

“Tornado? What are you doing here?”

“The Dark Lord told me you were here,” Tornado explained holding up a letter, “I need your help.”

Tornado led him out into the forest and set up a barrier.

“I met my mother,” he began, “She told me that the Dark Lord wanted an heir that would be a direct connection to the Light Realm. He mistook my mother as the princess.”

“So, what do you need my help for?”

“Do you think he would . . .” he paused trying to phrase it, “would he go after Aero?”