Topic: The Seedling

LillyanMaddox

Date: 2006-07-10 12:56 EST
"Bolt tha' windows!" Cheryl shouted up the stairs to the servants. "The winds are a pickin' up. Thar's a bad storm a coumin'." She headed to the front doors of the keep. Placing her hand on the door she gave it a good push and started to slid the latch into place when she heard a faint cry. Cheryl looked around quickly. She sighed smiling, shaking her head as the spirits of the castle had startled her once again. After locking the door she turned to finish up the kitchen windows when she heard the cry again. "Alright yews. Tha's enough. I've got work tae dae." The cry sounded again. This time it sounded like it was right out side the door. Rolling her eyes Cheryl sauntered to the door and began unlocking it. "If I'm wasting my time playing with," she froze when the door opened. She stared down at the woven basket on the top step. The blankets shifted and the small cry was heard again. "Oh my goodness," Cheryl quickly kneels next to the basket and unwrapped it. Her breath catching when small little green orbs squinted open and peered up at her. Cheryl looked up and out over the land, as if to find the child's parent watching to make sure their baby would be safe. She picked up the basket and went back inside, latching the bolts behind her. "Terra," she called out just above a whisper as she sat down in the floor with the basket. Slowly the pushed away the pink and white blankets lifting the child into her arms.

"Aye ma-" Terra froze her mouth gapping. "Where on earth did'tha come frum?" She walked to Cheryl.

"I found her ou' on tha front steps," Cheryl stared down at the child smiling.

Terra kneeled next to her and inhaled deeply releasing a heavy sigh. "She smells like the lilies down by the glen. So strongly too."

"Then tha' is wha' we shall call her. Lilly."

Terra glanced to the basket and tugged at the darker object, pulling a note from the pile of blankets. She opened it and read aloud.

"My lady. I'm leaving you with my sweet little angel because I fear for her life. Her people share a special gift like no other, as does she. The dark ones have been hunting our kind over the ages, to wish to steal our light and turn it against everyone. They have been closing in and I fear the attack will come any day now. Please take my daughter as your own for her protection. Tell no one, not even her of her gift. Until she is fifteen. The day she turns of age a woman named Ahalla will come for her. She will teach her about the gift she possesses and train her in the ways of her people.

Terra looked up to Cheryl. "Tha's all it says."

Cheryl looked down on her new little flower and smiled. "Well, we best ge' started on a room fer her."

LillyanMaddox

Date: 2006-07-10 13:36 EST
Winters passed and Lilly started growing up normal. But when she was about seven, Cheryl began to notice odd things happening around Lilly. Things would grow in her presence: potted plants around the house, buds in the window baskets would open, the vines on the outside of the house even stretched an inch or two. Lilly never seemed to notice and Cheryl was thankful because she wouldn't have known how to explain it. Lilly was never a fussy child, never threw tantrums, never complained. But when she was angered the ground would shake and the sky would darken. Cheryl did her best to keep Lilly happy, she was so worried Lilly would one day question the events she could cause. At night a bright glow would shine from under Lilly's door. Only once had Cheryl peeked in to see why Lilly was still awake. To her amazement Lilly was asleep and she was softly glowing. Cheryl knew it had to be part of her "gift" so she kept quiet.

The day came as Lilly celebrated her fifteenth birthday. Cheryl paced until dusk fell. Filled with joy and regret that Ahalla never showed. Cheryl guessed Lilly's birthday was a couple days after the day they always celebrated it. The next day a knock came at the door. Cheryl opened the door.

"Hello. My name is Ahalla."

"You've come for Lilly. I know," Cheryl opened the door and let the older woman in. "Lilly," she shouted.

The clumsy stringy girl with a face full of freckles rushed down the stairs. Tripping only four times she stumbled to her mother and guest. "Yes mama."

"Lilly. The time has come for me to tell you some very important things. Please have a seat," she gestured to the chairs in the large room nodding to Ahalla and Lilly. They sat. "Lilly. I'm not your real mother."

"What?" She scrunched her nose and glanced to Ahalla.

"You were given to me when you were only a few days old. Your life was in danger and I was asked to protect you. I was asked not to tell you any of this until Ahalla came for you." She looked to Ahalla.

"What does she have to do with anything?" Lilly asked, a little confused and a little upset. Thunder sounded from the horizon.

"Do you hear that child" Do you hear the storm?" Ahalla whispered.

Lilly nodded.

"You're doing that. Haven't you noticed the storms when you get angry' Haven't you noticed that the garden you walk in bloomed months before any other flower even showed signs of life after the cold winter?"

Lilly pulled her eyes from the woman and studied the fire place. Now that she mentioned it Lilly did notice. She hadn't thought anything out it. Storms come and go all of the time, and the flowers in her garden, she just thought she was an excellent gardener.

"It is time you come with me my dear," Ahalla stood.

Lilly looked frantically to Cheryl. "I donnae want tae leave. I wantae stay here with ye."

Cheryl took Lilly into her arms and held her tight. "My darlin' I'm nae sendin' ye away. Ye can come houme whene'er ye like. This is jus' fer a'while. Ye need tae larn how this thin' ye have werks."

Lilly squeezed her tightly one more time. She stood before Ahalla and took a deep breath. "I'm ready."

Lilly packed some things. Said her goodbyes to her friends and family. She climbed into the wagon with Ahalla and rode away.

LillyanMaddox

Date: 2006-07-10 14:12 EST
Ahalla explained the ways of the people known as the Earth Bringers. Lilly learned that her family has been in disguise for centuries. Her essence, the essence of her people, was very much sought after by the Shadows. The Shadows are bodiless creatures that withdraw just out of sight on the edge darkness. They search for the one's carrying the light, the light of the Earth that empowers life. If they ever succeeded in extinguishing the light, the earth would be shrouded in darkness, and suffering forever.

Only a few Earth Bringers remain. Those mere few had to master their gift and come together to defeat The Shadows for good.

Lilly trained for days on end with Ahalla. She was the eldest, most experienced of the Earth Bringers; a sister to Mother Earth. Lilly mastered things very quick for her age and skill set. She showed impressive self-control and superior concentration.

Every year is was a new skill, a new object to conquer or to move. Each year Lilly mastered her new subject early so Ahalla let her study the Way of the Elders. More in-depth advanced in their skill. The ways of the ancestors had much been changed over the years. The intricate maneuvers used to work with and speak to the earth had been slowly written out. Quick short cuts had been put in their place, smothering part of the life used to enact them.

To Ahalla's surprise, the Way of the Elders came with great ease to Lilly. At the age of twenty and three Lilly had developed into an attractive young woman. Being in tune with the Earth's spirit, it had molded her as it wanted. Dark russet hair freely waving in the breeze that cooled her sun kissed skin. Eyes that changed like the seasons, sometimes a crisp hazel green, and at others a soft autumn brown. She was as tall and slender as the great oak tree.

Time had come once again to visit Cheryl, whom she considered her mother, as she did once every two months or so. She shrouded herself in dark colors as began the journey home. She couldn't wait to show her mother what she'd learned over the past couple of months. Lilly knew that Cheryl still didn't quite understand the gift she had, but she was proud of her nonetheless.

LillyanMaddox

Date: 2006-07-10 15:32 EST
Lilly rode for almost a day. She entered the glen just after dawn and reined her horse to a stop. Something was wrong, she could feel it. Her heart broke and she wanted to cry, but she didn't know why. She'd never felt this type of heart wrenching sadness before. "What could be wrong?" She whispered. The forest felt weak, almost drained as she passed through it.

Lilly exited the forest glen and sighed heavily as she looked around, feeling as if she was in slow motion. Dark smoke filled air suffocating the earth from the sun's life giving rays. The keep was naught but a pile of stone.

Lilly slowly slid from her steed letting him wonder off to graze. As she walked towards what used to be her home, the smoke parted before her, and the fires extinguished as she passed. She was devastated, lost. Her home, everything she'd known and loved, gone. Tears streamed down her face as her eyes raked over the debris.

She closed her eyes searching desperately for something; some sign, some feeling. Her eyes shot open. Nothing. There was no sense of life, not even a faint one.

Who would do this" She thought, sinking to her knees. She took a fist fill of dirt and held her palm out flat, letting it drift away in the breeze. Who could ransack an innocent home"

Lilly heard something behind her. She stood and turned quickly. "Who's there" Show yourself." She clenched her fists at her sides.

A figure cloaked in black stepped from a cloud of smoke. "They said you wouldn't come." He spoke with a raspy voice.

"Who are you?" The angrier she became the louder her voice as well. The breeze became more, brisker, colder.

"I've been sent for you. Sent to collect you from your doings and deliver you to your new king." The man, if it could be called that, was a little taller than Lilly, but that was all she could tell. The cloak clung to no part of his body. She wondered if there even was one.

"New king?"

"Yes. The Shadow King."

Through gritted teeth she inhaled her breath deeply. The puff of smoke began to swirl high into the air. The cloud darkened overhead, closing out the sun completely. "He is responsible for this?"

The shadow looked to the sky noted the power this Earth Bringer possessed. She was much stronger than he or his master had anticipated. "He wishes for your company."

She lowered her head, leveling her glare at the shrouded face beneath the hood. Lightening began flashing, and loud thunder boomed, threatening to close in. The ground shifted with small quakes beneath their feet. Lilly's eyes began to glow a pale white color. "He took my family and then wishes to start making demands of me?" Lightening struck the ground between them causing the shadow to step back.

"We underestimated you Earth Child. You are much stronger than we'd thought. I will take my leave now but I will return...in numbers." He dissolved into a puff of smoke and faded away in the strong winds.

The grey clouds retreated and as the sun began to shine again Lilly's eyes returned to a normal hazel green. She would find the Shadow King before he found he again. She would make the Shadows pay for what they had done. She would return to Ahalla and master the Way of the Elders.

LillyanMaddox

Date: 2006-07-13 12:31 EST
Lilly lay asleep in bed, her dreams not heading in any certain direction. She was too tired to dream. The earlier days events with the one called Lucy had drained her. Lilly had never felt her power grow that quickly or ever be that vast. She'd felt it tipping the scales, almost to the point of it being out of her control. Something was coming and she could feel it getting stronger by the minute. Things were changing, not only in the Earth's core, but within her as well.

Suddenly Lilly sat straight up in bed. Her breath shallow as she panted to catch it, beads of sweat covering her forehead. She looked around quickly. The winds had shifted and the Earth had cried out to her. She jumped from her bed and rushed to the window. When she pushed back the curtains she gasped, her mouth falling open.

There were Shadows everywhere. Hundreds hovered over the ground outside of her home. Something drastic had happened in order to cause this, but what? And were The Shadows swarming all over Rhy'Din?

Lilly felt another presence, different from what she'd felt from The Shadows before. This one was stronger...darker, and it had a purpose.

Lilly quickly donned her white gown slipping on a bright red sash, the trim on her dress instantly changing to match. She reached the front door and as soon as she jerked it open a burst of wind flew out from the house. The unexpected Shadows flew back, but charged Lilly as soon as they regained their senses. She knew she had to destroy them before they could hurt anyone.

This time the ability to call the storm and winds came a lot quicker to her. Lightening crashing all around, hitting multiple Shadows with each flash. The winds screamed with rage as the began pulling trees from the ground. The Earth quaked and threatened to split beneath her feet.

As Shadows rushed towards her lightening struck them. Spraying Lilly with blood as they fell to the ground and then disintegrated. Her eyes and hands glowing like the moon, Lilly raised them towards the sky calling the rain. Large drops fell from the sky, turning the spilt blood a light pink as it soaked into the ground.

With each one she killed Lilly felt her power growing, she was getting stronger. When their attack didn't weaken she grew annoyed. Her entire body was engulfed in the white light of her kind. Suddenly a large global burst of light shot out from her chest, instantly dropping The Shadows to the ground.

When the light disappeared in a blink Lilly fell lifelessly to the ground.