A piercing pair of steel blue eyes looked out from the darkened corner of the Inn. Although there was almost no light being cast into the corner, the eyes there seemed to generate a luminescence of their own. The eyes frowned, and then moved out of the shadows to reveal themselves within the head of a short, thin man, clad in robes the color of ox's blood, with a peculiar symbol embroidered there upon. He stood for a moment, then tossed a silver coin onto the table where he had been sitting, and not so much walked as glided out the door.

Into the cool night air he stepped, where he found an immense black war horse standing. Volpone (for that is what he was called) lightly touched the elaborate silver, covering the saddle, and the rich jewels set within.

"Expensive," he thought, "How stupid it is to leave a fine steed out in the open like this. Stupid people don't deserve such."

The beast let out a snort and stamped it's great hoof. It was only then that Volpone noticed the eerie glow shining from its eyes.

"Ah, old friend!" he laughed. "I should have known!"

Quickly he mounted the steed and they slowly walked down the narrow, cobbled street, the only light was that of the waxing moon above, the only sound the rhythmic clop-clop of hoofbeats.

As they neared the gate a boy came out of the gate house. He looked up into the pale eyes of the horseman and instantly bursts into flames.

The black steed reared and suddenly both horse and rider were no more. The only sight to be seen was that of the glowing embers that were once a gatekeeper's son and two ravens gliding off into the horizon.

Greytan ran out of the alleyway, checking his clothing and robes everywhere for the book, but he could not find it. Perturbed, he stood for a moment in the twilight. And out of the corner of his eye he saw, in the distance, two ravens flitting silently away.

"Blast and Damn that corrupt HELLION!!!!" Greytan cursed. He then pulled a small amulet from under the folds of his clothing. He chanted something in a strange tongue... "AVIS CORPUS TRANSMUTATUM" and disappeared; the only thing a passerby might have seen would have been the shadow of a hawk as it flitted by the side of a building.

Scourge looked at Tellar in disgust.

"How are we supposed to distract these people? Wizards and the like, they could read our minds. Greytan can be such an old doddering fool sometimes."

Tellar silently stared at the moon. Scourge was often like this; a man of action. "A typical warrior," Tellar laughed to himself. "Leave it up to others to think of something. Usually me," Tellar thought. But this time, he had no ideas. It isn't often he had to deal with wizards.

"What's that?" Scourge pointed into the sky. Moments later, a hawk landed and transformed into a man.

"Greytan?!?! What are you doing here?"

"They have the book! We must go after them!"

Thud. A black arrow imbedded itself in a wooden post scant inches from Scourge's face. All three men dropped, silently looking into the dark for a sign of an attacker.

"Looks like the book isn't all they want." Tellar muttered. He pointed to the others and motioned to follow. Slowly, they picked their way through the shadows, heading towards the store.

At the back door of the bookstore, Scourge slowly peered in.

Silently drawing his sword, he moved in, with Tellar just behind. They did a quick check, and finding nobody, relaxed.

"What are we gonna do?" Tellar asked, sitting on the table.

"We have to get the book back. We must go after them!" Greytan muttered.

"How? Where are they? How are they traveling? How are we gonna get supplies? Its been a rough month, we ain't got the money for this." Scourge scowled and hit a wall.

"I have money, that is...."

Scourge slipped his hand over Greytan's mouth, cutting him off. He motioned for Tellar to check the windows. As Tellar opened a window, both doors were kicked in, and men wearing armor filled the room in the blink of the eye.

"By order of King Talsia, you are our prisoners!"

Scourge lowered his weapon, and stared at the soldier who spoke. Although the armor he wore was the same, the crest on the helm was not. "The King must think well of us to send a colonel after us," Scourge thought grimly.

The soldiers quickly bound all three, who gave no fight, and were doubly glad they hadn't when they got outside. There were soldiers everywhere.

"Where do you take us and why?" said Greytan despondent.

"Silence." The colonel ordered his men into formation and the

prisoners into the cart. The door closed and locked and they headed out.

"Some treatment we get for looking after a stupid book," said Scourge.

Tellar mumbled agreement and Greytan collapsed in the corner. A man in black, carrying a long bow and sword, swore as he saw hisquarry herded like sheep into the cart. They would not be happy. He decided nothing more could be done now and slipped away silently.

King Talsia paced around his throne. It was very, very, early, and he still wanted to be in bed. But the news was too disturbing. Back and forth, he went, one thought on his mind. Invasion!

Talsia looked up at the stranger and scowled. He was one of the Dursia, the most powerful and very neutral sect of wizards in the realm. Standing there nonchalantly in his deep blue robes, he looked small and frail. The king hadn't seen his face yet, and probably wouldn't. But what puzzled him most was; why the sudden interest in the world?

Talsia's thoughts came to a sudden end as the prisoners were led in by the colonel. The Dursian stepped forward.

"You are no doubt wondering why you are here. He will explain," said the king pointing at the Dursian.

"The book has fallen into their hands. Their power was great before, it will be almost limitless soon. Worse, the Darkimage will be released again. We must stop it from happening."

"You three have been chosen to go after it. Now. Others will follow, and more are already in place just in case of something like this. We will provide magical transportation and supplies, you will do as told. Greytan will be told all, and he will pass it on. You leave in the morning."

"NOW WAIT A MINUTE! NO MAN TEL....."

The Dursian waved his hand, and Scourge stood frozen.

"You have no choice. We have no choice. The colonel will accompany you, along with several men he picks."

The King turned to Scourge.

"Sadly, he seems to be in the right. For if what he tells me is true, the rest of the kingdom prepares for an invasion."

On the top of a mountain overlooking a barren valley two raven had landed. The altitude was so high that only a single, twisted pine dared to grow there. Most birds avoided the mountain all together. However, the two large ravens, black as pitch, landed in the snow and mysteriously transformed.

Volpone blinked a few times and waited for his vision to clear. Seated before him in flowing robes was Arieadne, high priestess of the Jakaar and the woman he would have sold his soul for... even more so now, now that he was certain that she had the book. THE book....

He smiled at her with barely veiled passion, "At last, my Empress..."

She ran a long, curving fingernail along his jawbone. "Volpone, my jewel."

"How I have missed your beauty..." he gasped.

She leaned back and smiled. "Soooo, darling, do you have my book?"

A jolt coursed up Volpone's spine....

"Oh, don't be coy," Arieadne purred. "You know the book of which I speak..."

Volpone's eyes became like flint. "Don't you have it?"

Far from that lonely mountain, but not far from the town where Tellar and Scourge have been captured, a small girl sat, well hidden under a parked wagon.

She was about fourteen or fifteen, but lack of food and poverty made her appear to be much younger. She pushed a greasy strand of red hair behind her ear and opened her knapsack to examine the day's earnings. Three apples, a gold watch, (THAT was lucky!) a small dagger, five gold coins and a book.

She picked up the book and examined it more closely. It was a very old book, torn in a few places and dusty. Although she couldn't read she opened it, hoping to find pictures. Indeed there were pictures, but they were very strange. She couldn't figure them out.

Footsteps sounded close by. Lots of footsteps... big, man steps. Quickly she stuffed the book back into her pouch and climbed under the wagon, her small body easily finding a comfortable niche. The wagon began to roll, and the small girl was off to a new place carrying only three apples, a gold watch, a small dagger, five gold coins, and the Black Tome of Arischonn.

"I have the book from the old man. But the book itself will not bring back the Darkimage," said Arieadne.

"But..." started Volpone.

"Don't be an idiot my love. The book is a very important piece of the puzzle but the image is not yet whole. Now answer me, did you get the book?"

"Yes, here it is," said Volpone taking out a thick book.

The book had a leather cover stained blood red. Arieadne took the book and quickly flipped through the pages.

"Ah! Here it is! Take courage my love; the time is almost at hand! Soon we will rule the world. I as the high priestess of the Darkimage and you as the Dark protector!" she laughed heartily.

Arieadne stood suddenly and shimmered into the shape of a raven. Her slim body folded into itself her arms became wings. Black feathers, dark as midnight, covered her body and she glided off into the rising sun.

Volpone stood "Miserable little winch," He then smiled as he remembers how they had spent the majority of the night amusing themselves. "But she has her uses." Then he too shimmered into the shape of a raven and flew off.

Click here to read the next part.

Click here to return to the Stu Stories
Click here to return to the StuPage.