1Chapter 1
Da-xia rode one the fields of dewy morning grass, the only sounds heard were the soft breaths of her shimmering creamy-chestnut horse, Tao' Chan. She ran her fingers through her hair, a blazing fade between red and black.
Kasa is so much warmer than Zornas. Da-xia shivered in her kimizor, a Kasian tunic made of a soft and thin material.
Tao' Chan slowed to catch up with her riding partner, Li Mei. Li Mei's horse was obsidian black to match her own hair and eyes.
"Ki mas cimuk ika Zornas lias auka duakik isox. We should be approaching Zornas's capital in about two hours." Da-xia reported in their Kasian language.
Li Mei nodded.
"Uhk ion erak sounds like a good idea." She agreed. "Mik sadak wulas pyrak yizi yuak. I can't wait to warm myself around a fire."
"Rariki. Iku idokin limo clothimik fitra kiof glifiki. Mik kimizors uyn izik ikio saitukio Kasa yirik oin. Same here. It would be best to get purchase clothes appropriate for this cold. Our kimizors are only suitable in Kasa's sunny weather." "Miri. Yes."
"Are those Kasians here yet?"
The King of Zornas was impatiently waiting on his throne. He drummed his fingers on the armrests and groaned.
His servants shook their heads.
"No your majesty, they haven't arrived. It is quite early to expect them, after all-"
"Your majesty!" a servant screamed through the hall. "They're here!"
At that moment, Da-xia and Li Mei entered the court. The king appeared revolted at their appearance.
"Women? Women are symbolizing Kasa?" He shook his head. "That can't be right. You are representing Kasa?"
Li Mei stepped forward, and gave a bow.
"Are you displeased, your Majesty?" she asked in Galivin, the Universal Language of Galivh.
Galivh was a world that consisted of eight countries:
Kasa, woman's land charmed by a million warm winds.
Ofalog, red desert of a thousand armies.
Asylik, lush jungle of the seven Spirit Tribes.
Zornas, green hills sprouting a hundred castles.
Velun, glowing city of a billion angels
Potius, lonely rivers of a hundred thousand snakes
Munak, endless oceans belonging to thirty priests
Padukai, chaotic bog of six faded lights
"In Kasa," Li Mei continued. "Women are above men. Does Zornas's rule differ?"
"Your Majesty," Da-xia followed Li Mei's steps and bowed as well. "May I introduce you to the Empress of Kasa. I hope you treat with her more respect later in our stay."
The King was shocked at first, but then he began to study the woman's appearance. Her kimizor had a more eccentric design to it, and she was unmistakably beautiful. However, he still argued with the guests.
"But the king of each country was supposed to come. A woman can't be a king."
"There aren't kings in our lands." Da-xia answered. "Only the Empress."
"Then wouldn't her father have been an Emperor before her?"
"No," she corrected again. "Once the last Empress weds at age twenty-five the most beautiful five year old girl in the capital city becomes the next ruler. These 20-year periods are called Dynasties. Kasa's present day, the Li Mei Dynasty is coming to end."
He shook his head. Kasa's kingdom had such a strange system compared to Zornas. However, these were his guests.
"Make yourselves at home. I'm sorry I couldn't have been more open minded to your country's law."
"Thank you your majesty."
The two girls bowed in sync.
Later that night, Da-xia was bathing. She was relieved to cleanse herself from all the filth obtained in her journey across the land. As she closed her eyes, she couldn't help but think how different Zornas was from her home country.
Empress Li Mei and herself started traveling to this cool land a week ago. The Zornasn Council mysteriously asked all the other allied countries to send their King and a right hand man to the Kingdom of Zornas. These other countries were Ofalog, Velun, Potius and Munak.
"Esuka ulhi kios wesik ol iuk polkum er renab aka? Empress, do you have any information of what this meeting is about?"
Li Mei turned to De-xia from brushing her hair.
"Ka yau Velun ka opkin Kairos. The attack on the threat of Kairos."
"Miri. Ka polkum aka rebab iaksi. Yeah. The meeting is probably about that."
Li Mei sighed and got up to leave the room.
"Esuka Li Mei? Empress Li Mei?"
She turned to attention.
"Miri? Yes?"
Da-xia paused, as if she was thinking very hard about what she was about to say.
"Mik suak oa Zornasns. I don't trust the Zornasns."
Li Mei blinked for a second at the surprising thing she said. But soon her face softened, and admitted, "Syka-iof mik, Da-xia. Syka-iof mik. Neither do I, Da-xia. Neither do I."
Da-xia soon discovered that the council would be taking place in the Royal Hall. Her and Li Mei were strolling into the meeting just after breakfast, where Da-xia would see some foreigners for the first time. She had never been out of Kasa before, and travelers were very rarely seen.
She hastily fastened her ties on her silk top as Li Mei and herself opened the huge doors and came into the Hall. The five other cultures together brightly clashed, each wearing strange hats, clothes, dangles and jewels.
Li Mei wandered from her Right Hand Lady to talk to a larger group of royals talking to one another. The meeting wouldn't start until Zornas's King entered the Hall.
Da-xia waited at the front of the door. She didn't like being around groups of people; she always tended to shy away. She looked around the room for another person she could speak to.
One handsome young man caught her eye. He was looking at the stained glass windows by himself. His hair was neon blond and stuck up everywhere. He dressed in a black cape, pinned to his chest with a huge ruby. Around his waist he wore gold chains through loops in his pants, decorated in crystal daggers and a sword. Its sheath was studded in even more rubies and diamonds. Whatever kingdom he came from, this man must have been from a very rich land.
Da-xia acted brave and went up to greet the loner.
"My name is Da-xia of Kasa." She introduced and shook hands with the blonde. "Right Hand Lady of Emperor Li Mei."
"I'm Prince Garis of Ofalog." Garis took her hand and kissed it. Da-xia blushed solemnly. "You were so beautiful, I was almost sure you were Kasa's Empress."
Da-xia shook her head.
" .just the Right Hand Lady." She was flushed with red. Da-xia tried her hardest to find a subject they could talk about that wasn't stuttering. "Is Ofalog nice this time of year?"
"Yes," he gave a charming smile. "The purple flowers are blooming this time of the don't bloom any other season. In Ofalog, we call them the Da-xia flowers."
"Really?" Da-xia asked interested.
"Really," he swore. But anyone else besides Da-xia could tell he was lying.
"Quite the prince charming, you are."
"That is my power." Garis grinned. "But I have more powers."
Da-xia found his reply interesting.
"Really?"
"You want me to show you?" he darted his eyes around the room. "Let's leave this boring meeting. We'll have some fun." he paused. ".Outside."
He began walking off, but Da-xia didn't follow.
"Aren't you coming, Da-xia?"
She looked around cautiously.
"I don't know," Da-xia gulped. "Her Majesty may need me, and don't you have to represent Ofalog?"
Garis giggled slyly.
"I have my sister to take of that." Garis told her, and gestured to a girl no older than twelve with blond hair speaking to the same group of people Li Mei had joined. "Her name is Princess Nabilia. She will be taking up my responsibilities while I am not present."
Da-xia took another look at Nabilia and wondered how such a small girl could take the weight of her older brother's job.
"Okay then," she agreed and started walking even with Garis out the Hall doors. "Li Mei is a good Empress. She'll be able to take care of Kasa's rights on her own. She's done it for nineteen years"
"You're Empress's rule is almost coming to an end, is it not?"
Da-xia nodded, awed.
"You know about our Royal System?"
Garis put his hand on her shoulder.
"I take an interest in other county's cultures. Always have." The doors shut quietly behind them. Garis turned to Da-xia and whispered, "Do you know magic?"
Da-xia stared at him for a minute. She fidgeted with her fingers.
"Well, I guess so."
"What type do you excel in?" Garis put a hand on his sword while they walked into the empty courtyard.
In Galivh, there were six types of magic: Blood magic, Dark magic, Animal Magic, Human Magic, Angel Magic, and Earth Magic. Most of the time, people have combinations of magic types.
" Magic." Da-xia told him. "You?"
He gave her a piercing look.
"Earth." He said, plain and simple.
"Show me," Da-xia said bravely.
Garis turned to her.
"Show you?"
"That is what I said."
Garis smiled darkly.
He pulled his sword out from the glittering sheath. It shined into Da-xia's eyes and made her wince.
"You direct your energy with an object." Da-xia narrated. "You don't find very many old fashioned guys like you anymore."
Garis tipped the point and slowly laid his hand on top of the flat side. The blade's tip, as well as his own fingertips began glowing gold-red.
"Leo!"
When Garis's voice rang those words, the whole sword blasted into a fireball. He swung it powerfully through the air. Da-xia stood back so she wouldn't have a chance of being hit by the sword.
Once an entire circle was completed, the sword exploded again. This time, a dance of fiery strings spurted from the lance and enveloped the room in a red shine.
"The end's coming," Garis promised, and he cried, "Bestia!"
It gave a final explosion, and the ball of fire morphed into the face of a lion.
"Oh my god!" Da-xia hissed and stumbled backwards. "What is that thing?"
"'Leo Bestia.'" He told her, struggling to hold the sword like the fireball lion was on a leash. Garis smiled at Da-xia's mixed emotions of terror and awe. He hissed, "Evanesco."
Like a vacuum, the lion was sucked inside of Garis's sword. It gave a flash, and the spell was over. Garis tucked the sword back into its sheath.
Da-xia was speechless.
"That was my power-and only a little section of it was tapped. If I let that power go, this whole castle may have been destroyed. However, if I used Leo Bestia to its content." he paused. ".It could even have an 'Overkill' effect on the entire of Galivh." An 'Overkill' effect was when an attack exceeded the amount of power needed to defeat an enemy, or complete a task. That sometimes would have strange effects. It could kill the user, or destroy surrounding objects.
"You are really strong, aren't you?" De-xia complimented, but then turned to a question. "Who taught you that kind of magic?"
It was the first question De-xia asked Garis that he didn't answer.
"Who?" She persisted. "The Royal Magician, Master Ume Long taught me."
He kept quiet and slid his finger down the shimmering sheath.
"A magician keeps his secrets." Garis told her smartly.
Da-xia was disappointed, but she decided to show her power.
"I am great with Blood Magic, like I said before, but I need some liquid before I can do anything."
Garis turned his head to a fountain further down the path. Da-xia nodded and traveled over to it, followed slowly by her friend.
"Your spell's name?" Garis asked.
Da-xia gently skimmed her hands over the water's surface. She hummed very quietly and closed her eyes, falling into a stage like meditation.
"Cruor Orbis." Da-xia hissed.
"I've never witnessed Blood Magic," The prince admitted. "What is its ability?"
"Liquid is what taps its power. Otherwise, Blood Magic is useless." She whispered. "Mostly used for ESP or ventriloquism techniques, but I can also attack."
"So water will only make it work?"
"I never said that," She corrected. "I said liquid. Water will work, but it is called Blood Magic for a reason."
"Do it."
Da-xia calmed herself entirely. She stood there for a little while, breathing deeply and rapidly. Her cool aura suddenly changed when she cried, "Cruor Orbis!"
Spraying water shot off into the air, spitting wildly on the floor and ceiling. Garis winced, but Da-xia didn't move her place.
She formed her hands into a globe shape, and an orb gradually arose from the fountain. It appeared like a giant bubble made entirely of water. Garis cautiously reached over Da-xia's shoulder to touch the globe.
"Don't," Da-xia snapped, right when Garis's finger touched the orb's surface.
An electric jolt ran through his body. Garis gave a short cry and fell over.
"I told you not to." She shot at him, and put her hand on the globe. The jolt absorbed into her fingers and played with the electricity. "This is the energy I can launch off."
Da-xia's body snapped around and shot the bolts into a vase, then lightening fast blasted them at a statue. They exploded and rained over the floor in a parade of glass and stone.
"Stop it!" Garis cried. "Stop! You're using it to much! I think it's."
Da-xia wasn't listening to Garis's calls. Her hands were busy whipping around, throwing arms of white lightening, causing explosions and fires.
"Da-xia! Wake up! Snap out of it!"
Garis raised his hand and smacked Da-xia's face.
She stopped. Her eyes were blank and her breathing was rapid and shallow.
"Da-xia, do you not practice your magic's limits often?" Garis wondered.
Da-xia hastily shook her head.
"You better learn."
At that moment, Li Mei stepped into hall.
"Lady Da-xia, Prince Garis, please join us. The King has appeared and it would be rude not to join."
Da-xia obeyed and headed into the hall, but Garis just took hold of his sheath and marched off the opposite way.
"Garis, where are you going?" Da-xia called to the prince.
It took him a little while to answer. But when he did, it was cool and calm.
"I'm going to do the thing that I came here to accomplish."
"What is it?" She called, but she had no reply. All she saw was Garis's cape blowing behind him, down the hall, until he was no longer visible.
End of Chapter 1! I hope you liked it. If you have any suggestions, feel free to submit. No flames, thank you. Please review and I will write more!