Chapter II

Ally






   I blinked in the sunlight. How busy it was! The dirt streets were being filled with traders and caravans. Dust clouds was thrown up. There were stands with light, dyed cloth as a roof, with bookshelves
   "And blangers?" A trader showed me necklaces. I quickly looked down, shaking my head.
  "I'd rather not." Keesa said.
  "Ah, it's the 13 year old Keesa, finally out of her little house!" The trader said.
  "Shut. Your. Mouth." Keesa hissed.
  Keesa rushed me into the road. Just then, drums were banging loudly. All the people stopped.
  "Make way, for the soldiers have returned!" A man shouted.
  The people split up into one side of the road. 5 golden caravans were strolling along.
  "What's happening?" I asked.
  "The soldiers are back from their raid. They were attacking a small part of the Unborne. For the first in 20 battles, they were successful." Keesa said.
  "Oh," I said. Maybe other people could attack the Unborne instead of me! After all, the soldiers were successful.
   "But they can't stop the Demon Lord." Keesa said, as if reading my mind. "No one but only the ones that are human can stop the Demon Lord."
   "But I'm normal!" I said.
   "Shush, now." Keesa said. "We must cross quickly."
   We ran quietly through the streets, and tumbled into a building. "Ow." I murmured.
   Keesa shut the door, and covered it with a curtain, making it pitch dark. A single candle was flickering on a table, but no one has lit it.
   "Come forth, chosen one." An elderly, yet ghostly voice said. I turned my head, and saw a transparent, floating lady hovering slightly above the ground. "No need to fear me."
   I put down my hood, and slowly walked towards the table. My hands were shaking. The shaman was a freaking ghost.
   "Why have you come, heroine?" The shaman said. She put a stick into the candle's fire. Putting the stick back out, a wisp of smoke twisted to the ceiling slowly. The air suddenly smelled like sweet honeysuckle.
   "I'm cursed." I said. I showed her the marking. The shaman's eyes widened. "By fire. And I can't understand my name. I forgot it."
   "Now that we can fix." The shaman took out a blood red berry. "Humans always forget who they are. It increases the more they hang around here."
   She was right. I forgot who or where my parents were. I forgot my age and last name.
   "You must first eat the food of here to remember." The shaman said. She placed the berry into my hand. "Quickly, now."
   I chewed the berry slowly. It tasted sweet, and energizing. I finally remembered where my parents were. Still at the meeting, hopefully. "My name is Ally Skyheart." I said, feeling braver.
  "Ally the chosen one," The shaman said. "It is time to see what you're Fate is."
  "Fate?"
  "Your quest to complete." Keesa responded.
  The shaman took the smoke and pressed it down into a glass orb. She placed it onto the table. "May kah buh diya. SACKA TOOM FRAS!" The orb lit up. There were pictures of a clock, and the marking growing more advanced the more time passed. Then, it stopped after 7 days. It showed the mark looking really creepy. Then it showed a person turning into a demonic, four-legged creature. Then it showed the clock again, starting at Day 1. Then, instead of turning into a monster, it showed the person turning into ice, with a fire flicking in it. The orb lastly showed a phoenix on top of a volcano, before turning back into a dull color.
  "This is ominous." The shaman said. "You must go to the phoenix in 7 days. Your mark will advance, as it goes along. But when you don't reach her in 7 days, you will turn into the prize of the Unborne. But, if you succeed before the 7th day, you will turn into a flaming ice, and gain eternal life."
  "As what?" I coughed. I sat straight as she glared at me. "I mean, why would I turn into a prize of those Unbornes?"
   "Because," The shaman said. "The Unborne want you. Humans are very powerful in here. They want your power to manipulate you to destroy everything. And if you're a monster, even better."
   "Well what can I do? I'm a terrible puncher. Or kicker." I said.
   The shaman stood up, and walked to a visible shelf. She took a sheathed sword, and gave it to me, with a sword belt. I unsheathed the sword, and saw that the blade was made out of silver. My reflection was clearly on it, as if it were a mirror. The hilt of the sword was golden, with a dragon curved around it, opening it's mouth to roar. Inside the dragon's mouth was a small, red ruby.
  "I've been waiting for someone to complete this other task." The shaman said. "Now go!"
  A strong wind was beginning to blow me and Keesa out of the building.
  "Wait!" I said, sheathing my sword and tossing my hood up. "Where's the phoenix' volcano?"
  "You must figure it out!" The shaman mysteriously said, before we got tossed out of the door, along with a scroll.