Chapter One

Hello, friends. (:
I know you've been waiting for this, so here it is. The beginning chapter of the Opifex. I plan on updating the chapters twice (maybe three times) a week, so keep checking back!


Chapter One.


It was nearing dusk and long shadows fell from the trees, giving a menacing look to passersby. The moon, seemingly large than the sun itself, was beginning to peer out from it’s hiding place, grinning at the forest below. Luscina usually stayed past the sunset and into the night talking to the Naiads in the river, they were silent most of the time and understanding, always willing to listen to her problems and thoughts. The water nymphs, as was known to all residents of Gal, were not friends to the humans. They were creatures of deviance and greed, despite their friendly ways; a Naiad would easily give away friendship for gold, rare fish, or jewels.
Luscina heard the stories but still she set off each and every day, out of the castle gates and into the surrounding forest, down the long hill and to the river that ran from Marino, past Nubian, and into the south. The river became a place where she could think, a place where the hardships of royal life didn’t cause her to worry and fret. The Naiads were her listeners and the watery friends she felt she deserved, friends who did not judge her or expect her to live a certain way.
Her footsteps were silent on the mossy hill as she climbed downwards, towards the stream of water. The glassy eyes of the water nymphs stared at her from under the water.
"Hello, my friends." Luscina whispered.
They surfaced, their seaweed colored hair floating in long strands around them, frog-like eyes peering at her with curiosity.
Luscina did not expect a reply, the Naiads almost never spoke to her.
"I’m expected at a banquet tomorrow," Luscina told them as she made herself comfortable on the moss that gathered around the waters edge. She began to play with the reeds that grew among the mud. "It’s supposed to be important, my cousin Saleh is coming from Marino and bringing most of her ambassadors and her court. The banquet is supposed to announce our coming of age, Ishmael’s and mine."
The Naiads looked at her, there were more now. At least ten more had surfaced from the water; they played with their hair, their scaly hands and fingers running smoothly through them. The water women didn’t seem the least bit interested but Luscina knew they were listening to her.
"I’ll be sixteen soon, and Ishmael eighteen." Her voice dropped to a whisper, as if ashamed of her age. "It’s the suitable age in which the Kingdom is given to the children of the King and Queen. Mother and Father plan to have Ishmael and I rule together as soon as our birthdays pass."
Fear and anger was evident in the young girls voice, such responsibility frightened her, and it caused her to hate her parents. How dare they force such a hardship on her!
"I’m not ready for such power."
Her hands shook and she clasped them together to prevent the shaking. The water began to ripple and move, she looked up at the Naiads.
A beautiful water women floated slowly towards her, a hand outstretched as if to welcome her into the river. The Naiad’s hair floated behind her and the golden necklaces she wore hung down between her bare breasts, the miniscule scales on her body glistened in the sunset.
"My dear Luscina." The Naiad said in a watery voice.
"Yes, Delphoi?"
Luscina bent closer as the nymph reached the shore, grasping the muddy edge with one hand and reaching towards Luscina with the other. Luscina grabbed onto the wet, slimy hand, her eyes wide. Never before had Delphoi, the richest and self-acclaimed leader of these river nymphs, tried to touch her before.
"This can easily be fixed, darling." Delphoi murmured, her gills fluttered slightly with every word. "I know of a dear friend who wishes to help you. She has been watching you for some time now, listening to your problems just as we have."
Luscina blinked at the nymph, frightened at the thought of an unknown presence.
"Who is this person?"
"She is a very powerful being," the nymph explained. "She once was the most powerful being in the universe, she created us…she created you."
"Who is she?" Luscina asked again, growing impatient with the nymphs riddles.
Delphoi began to slip back into the water, releasing Luscina’s hand quickly. "Her name is Mortis, and her eyes are on you right now."
Fear and excitement surged through Luscina as she spun around, looking through the dark forest and at the rivers tail. No woman seemed to be among the trees as she glanced about, and slowly she turned back to the river.
The nymphs were sinking into the water, their high pitched laughter ringing in the young girls ears.
"Where is she?" She cried, fearing the woman who she could not see.
"Above, above! Above, above!" came the voices of the nymphs. The last head disappeared into the depths and all was quiet; not even a chirp of a bird who had decided to feed it’s children late could be heard, the river was quiet and it’s flow silent.
The intense beating of her own heart was the only sound Luscina could hear…and a far away breathing. A sound so silent her ears had not picked it up at first, but now it grew louder and quicker; the breathing of a large animal.
And then she spotted it, a large black animal in the canopy of the trees. It’s large, white eyes had no pupils but she could see that it was staring at her. As soon as it was spotted it began to climb down from the tree in great haste, moving faster than anything Luscina had ever seen before, it’s legs moving in such a horrible fashion.
Luscina screamed, scrambling backwards and away from the frightening creature. It’s teeth were bared and a snarl escaped it’s black, drooling lips. It was on her within seconds, she knew escape was not possible. Luscina continued to scream, scared for her life, and she beat back the animal with her tiny fists. But it did not eat her, it did not scratch her, nor did stop it’s ragged breathing.
Finally she stopped fighting. The animal sat down on its hind legs and stared at her with it’s large, white eyes. Luscina backed away and sat up, staring back at the creature. She could see it was a Binturong but it was much, much larger than the ones she was used to. It towered over her just by sitting down, it had to be the size of a small hut. It’s tail flickered back and forth, much like a cats, and it began to lick it’s lips quietly.
"Are-are you Mortis?" Luscina stammered, startled by the fear she heard in her own voice.
A large smile broke upon the bear cats face, all of it’s teeth showing.
"How do you wish to help me?" Luscina asked.
Mortis tilted her head to the left, the smile still on her insane face. "I have power beyond what your simple, human mind could comprehend. I could give you anything that you want, I could create a new life for you. With my power, whole cities could fall to my feet…to your feet. Luscina, you do not want to rule beside your brother, isn’t that right?"
Luscina nodded quietly.
"You could rule on your own."
Luscina shook her head. "I don’t want that, either! I don’t want to rule a Kingdom of people who aren’t obedient, I don’t want to be bothered with their troubles."
Mortis leaned towards her, the smell of decay on the creatures breath stung Luscina’s nostrils. "My dear, if you ruled on your own you would never have to deal with such people. You would have everything you wanted, and furthermore, you’d have no one to answer to but yourself. Your Kingdom would be nothing like your parents."
The offer seemed too good to be true. A whole Kingdom, to herself. No rules but the ones she wanted, no other ruler by herself. No having to worry about the people within the gates, nothing to worry about at all.
"What do you say, young Princess? Or should I say," Mortis chuckled a bit. "young Queen?"
The title struck her so forcefully that she felt as if she had been slapped. Queen. The title she had feared for so long, but now seemed so perfect, so right, so powerful.
"I will have to think about your offer." the Princess said after a few minutes of silence. "After the banquet, after Saleh leaves the castle…I will have made my decision."
Mortis smiled once again. "You must tell me as soon as her feet leave your father’s Kingdom."
"I will."
"And you will continue to come back to this river everyday to speak with me, won’t you?"
"I will." Luscina could not explain the power that caused her to answer the question, as if it was not her decision.
"Very good." the Binturong nodded, it’s eyes piercing the girl. The laughter it had before seemed to disappear and now it turned very serious.
"You will not tell anyone that you have met me here tonight." she ordered, the sound of her raspy voice shocked Luscina.
"I will not." Luscina replied.
"If anyone asks you where you have been, you will tell them you have been with the Naiads."
"I will."
"They must not know of me."
"Why not?"
"Do not ask questions, girl!" Mortis screeched, advancing towards Luscina, her teeth bared and hair sticking up along her back.
Luscina shrunk back, fear overwhelming her.
"They must not know of me." the bear cat repeated, teeth still bared.
"They will not know that you exist." Luscina said.
"Good." Mortis sat back down, the calmness she once had came upon her once again. Luscina, however, could not overcome the fear that the giant creature had produced.
"It’s late, and they worry." Mortis whispered. "Go back home, and do not forget what we discussed."
"I won’t."
Luscina picked herself up and took one last look at Mortis. "I will be back tomorrow night at sunset, after the banquet."
And with those last words she hurried up the hill, away from the Binturong, away from the fear, away from the Naiads. She ran to her soft, warm bed. To her mother’s loving arms, to her home.
She was gone a long while before the Naiads surfaced once again. Delphoi swam toward the rivers edge once again, extending her long arm, this time to the animal perched on the moss. Her eyes shimmered with anticipation and greed.
"My pay, Mortis? My pay?"
The bear cat stared at the watery monster, at the greed in it’s eyes and the clear craving of the gifts it was promised. Mortis pawed at the mud with it’s large claws, scraping rocks and dirt together to form a large cup. She bent forward and stuck her tongue out towards the figure, and blew carefully. A small flame of fire escaped from the tongue, onto the cup of dirt and rocks, and enveloped it in a fiery ball.
The Naiads flinched back, covering their faces with their hands, fearing the fiery object. Delphoi was the only one who stood before the fire, her eyes reflecting the burning flames.
And as quickly as they had burst to life, the flames died, swallowing themselves in the now golden cup. The outside shimmered in the water and moonlight, and Delphoi reached towards it with avarice.
Mortis pushed it with her front leg, before the nymph could reach it, into the black water of the river.
Screeching with fear of losing the object, Delphoi dived into the water, followed by her sisters, one by one.
Disgusted, Mortis wandered back into the forest, back into the darkness. A place where she could think, where she could wait for the child. She slipped into the trees, unseen by the eyes of the moon.
Later that night the golden cup, found and taken to the home by the nymphs, dissolved into rocks and mud once again.

Introduction.

Introduction.

In the middle of the vast ocean lay a fairly large country, this country was unknown to the other countries in the world. It was called Gal, and within Gal were three different states. The smallest state, located towards the south beach, was named Prymera; this state was not independent from the largest state but was not within it’s boundaries. The larger state, located in the northern beach, was named Marino. This state was well known for it’s fishing, local water sports, and vast towns and cities. They were governed underneath Saleh, the niece of the King and Queen of the largest state. The final and largest state, which was in the very middle and controlled all of the country, was Nubian. It was a vast kingdom ruled by Queen Nuria and King Delmar. The king and queen had a son and daughter, both of whom were to take over the kingdom together when the time came for the current rulers to step down.
Ishmael was the oldest and a bright young boy, always with his nose in the pages of a book. He was taught by his father to control the southern and northern states, to prepare against war, and to keep an eye out for the Powtry, a group of outsides who refused to live underneath a monarchs rule. Ishmael was cautious of the Powtry as they played with voodoo magic and witchcraft, always playing part to the superstition of the Opifex’s. Opifex’s, or the creators, were powerful beings who lived thousands of years before the country of Gal existed. They were murdered mercilessly and their spirits swam through the currents of time looking for a suitable body to live within. Ishmael knew the Powtry to be the kind to be against the Opifex, who were known to be harmless and good, and the outsiders grew to harness the power of evil.
The training Ishmael was given most was to be able to defend his kingdom against the evil. Despite the hard training, Ishmael was not a hard man. He was a mere seventeen and a peaceful boy, always looking towards the bright side and wanting nothing but peace between all states.
The youngest was Luscina, a child of beauty. She was trained under her mothers hand to be a caregiver and peaceful ruler, but Luscina was a rebellious child. She wanted nothing to do with taking care of a kingdom of people who did not want to obey the peace, and found politics to be frightfully boring. Luscina was often found escaping from her bedroom window to run off, usually to the river within the forest beside the castle to speak to the Naiads. Because of her careless personality Ishmael was caused to learn more about his kingdom and looked upon as the better ruler.
The queen and king looked at Luscina’s age to be the problem, as she was a new fifteen year old with a childish mind. They gave her the benefit of the doubt and encouraged Luscinas love for the Naiads, giving her the freedom to be a child. The freedom Ishmael never had. The Naiads gave Luscina knowledge and power within herself, and soon Luscina was visiting her watery friends everyday.
In the forest by the castle near the river of Grhim, the home of the Naiads, is where our story begins.


* The Opifex, coming June 2010*

The Opifex

Summer Project '10 -

The OpifexThe Opifex (the creator) is a story that follows a young man named Chaim, a former Prince of the Kingdom Nubian, and his journey to defeat his sister. Agrona, powered by the Demon who haunts her, rules the kingdom of Mors as the Opifex of Fire. It is the journey of a young mans battle with death, inner battles, and the elements.

Main Characters:

Chaim - Once known as Ishmael, Chaim is the brother of Agrona. His goal is to stop the destruction of the world, saving millions of lives.

Agrona - Once known as Luscina, Agrona is the sister of Chaim. Powered by the Spirit Demon Mortis she becomes the Opifex of Fire. She rules over the Kingdom of Mors.

Mortis - The Spirit Demon of Slaughter, the ruler of Agrona. She once owned the body of a young woman but was condemned to the body of a enormous Binturong, the true Opifex of Fire.

Bi - The last remaining survivor of the Kingdom of Nubian. She is an Opifex of Water.

Coming June, 2010.