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Chapter One

The Daydreaming Monk

    Kayle had made the journey a grand total of seven times before, but every time found himself lost in the scenery. He was deep in the mountains and past a new world every hill lay, each more beautiful than the last. Kayle found himself transfixed on a small forest of white trees, full of life and sparkling in the mid-afternoon sun. Kayle was small and skinny, even for his age, his short white hair was messy no matter what he did with it, barely hiding his puffy fur tipped lemur ears. His clothes were baggy and patched together, his lemur tail poking out through his sash belt that was wrapped around a few times more than most who would wear it.

            He daydreamed as he walked, dreaming of interesting places and people, none of which he was likely to see on the particular excursion he was on. Kayle felt guilty for longing for such things, the order of the Mountain Winds had treated him very well in his short life. The order was ancient and in charge of protecting his people’s philosophies and wisdom as well as the people themselves. The order also taught Kayle the ways of artifact magic, a talent strong within the Tillenver. Artifact magic was the control and use of magical items ranging from everyday tasks to combat. Kayle was pretty decent at it, if he could transcribe a rune onto most simple objects, he could make them do whatever he wanted, even without touching them.

            The journey was to a temple significant to the order, a mountain complex known as the Crown of History. Inside the walls of the ancient place were numerous writings and artifacts from both the Tillenver and other species from all over the world. Though for a young acolyte like Kayle, most of the interesting things would continue to live on in mystery. Today, most acolytes were arriving for an annual ritual known as the Derenvar, which mostly consisted of boring speeches and displays of skills and martial arts. Kayle was snapped out of his daydreaming by a hand on his shoulder.

            "I envy you Kayle," Milen, Kayle’s mentor began. "To see this place with the eyes of youth."

    Milen had grown long in years, having chosen to stay active in the order far longer than most. His stature was hunched, his clothes faded, and his scraggly old hair was tied in a tight topknot so light it bobbed when he talked.

            "The scenery is breathtaking master." Kayle said with a smile. "It is the destination; however, I am getting bored with.

    "You are not excited for the Derenvar?" Milen scoffed. "I suppose this must be your third?"

    "Fifth." Kayle answered matter of factly.

    Milen laughed. "I guess you are right, you never were the competitive type in the displays of skill. Though I do know of something that might interest you about this years Derenvar."

    Kayle perked up curiously, his tail twitching. "Do tell Master."

    Milen smiled a mischievous smile "Laika will be there."

    Kayle tried to hide the look of excitement on his face, this was good news indeed. Laika was a Yanivar, a Fox Spirit whom Kayle had a crush on since she first visited the Tillenver lands a few years previous. "Laika is coming...that is...fortunate."

    “Perhaps this visit, you will have the nerve to speak to her." Milen laughed as he continued up the winding path to the next peak.

    It was true last two times she had visited Kayle could not come up with a single thing to say to Laika, just watching her and trying to look like he had something interesting to do. This time would be different, Kayle decided, he would be both charismatic and interesting. Kayle suddenly stopped his planning as he realised Milen was out of sight, and he had been daydreaming again. "Master Milen, wait up!"

    Kayle hurried along the winding mountain path, careful not to get too close to the edges as some places offered a drop not worth thinking about falling from. He caught up to Milen as he stood at a small hut someone had set up along the path. It was not uncommon for peddlers and fortune-tellers to set up there, hoping to earn a little gold or trade goods from the many travellers. Inside the tiny hut was an old man...even older than Milen. He was dressed in tattered grey robes, his matted curly hair clinging close to his small feline ears. Behind him was a long slender long with a defined kink that twitched as he looked up at the pair. He was a Cat Demon, or Felymer from the Western Feline Kingdom.

    Milen looked back to Kayle with a smile showing a couple of his long missing teeth. “Ah there you are Kayle! This nice man is a fortune teller.”

    “Ummm, that's great Master.” Kayle said scratching his head nervously. “You’re getting your fortune read?”

    Milen laughed heartily. “I am an old man my boy! All of my fortune was in the past and long since changed to nothing but memories. He is going to tell you your fortune.”

    Kayle looked at Milen, then the man sceptically. “I don't know if I really believe in that kind of thing.”

    The fortune teller looked up at Kayle and grinned. “A good fortune is not a blueprint for the future, more of a collection of possible outcomes to potentially guide you into a path you may desire.”

    “There you have it!” Milen answered as he pushed Kayle down onto a small cushion opposite the older Cat Demon. “I will go meditate down the path a bit. I have already paid the man. Enjoy!”

    Kayle watched Milen walk off and sighed. He was usually not one for new experiences, but if Milen had paid for it he at least owed it to him to try it. He looked at the old man. “So how does this work? Do I give you my hands or something?”

    The old man laughed. “Not unless you expect me to do your nails. My technique is a bit above palm reading. Allow me to introduce myself, I am Securo of the Crescent moon, and I am very pleased to meet you, Kayle.”

    Kayle looked perplexed. “That’s amazing! How do you know my name?”

    The old man leaned forward with a serious look on his face. “Your mentor just used it a moment ago.”

    “Oh!” Kayle answered, embarrassed. “Sorry.”

    “You need not be nervous Kayle.” Securo said smiling. “We are just going to play a little game. Do you know how to play Balance of Worlds?”

    “Yes.” Kayle answered, noticing the fully set up board in front of him. It consisted of two interlocked grids, both adorned with a myriad of different pieces, all carved to resemble various animal clans. “I play Milen from time to time, though I am not very good.”

    “That is no matter.” Securo explained. “It is just a way for me to gauge you as I seek wisdom from the universe about you.”

    Kayle nodded and the game began, neither spoke for a few moves as pieces raced up the board to meet each other. The pair went back and forth, Securo taking an early lead leaving Kayle with very few pieces to defend himself.

    “I told you I wasn't very good.” Kayle said as he evaluated his position. “I think you already have me.”

    Securo looked up at Kayle. “You give up rather easily. You value not your abilities nor trust yourself to succeed.”

    Kayle sighed. “That is not so much the future as it is a stunningly depressing evaluation of my life.”

    “Oh, there is pain in you.” Securo observed. “That much is obvious. But you have a few pieces still, they are strong if you trust the right one to it's full potential you might yet succeed. You have a hero left; it moves in an unorthodox matter but it's strategies can cause chaos for your opponent if they do not predict it. You have a general left rather close to my end and it can overcome much should you trust in its potential.”

    Kayle looked over the pieces. “You also have those pieces and more of them. You have already taken my legend pieces.”

    “That I have.” Securo said looking up at Kayle. “Sacrifice is the name of this game, if you are to win you must learn to play even after you lose things.”

    Kayle leaned back, putting his hands on the ground behind him. “So, when do we get to the fortune telling?”

    “It is already done!” Securo answered abruptly. “Thank you for your patronage and I hope you have a wonderful Derenvar ceremony!”

    “That's it?” Kayle said sceptically. “A half-finished game of Balance of Worlds and some advice on playing? How much did Milen pay you? He may want a refund.”

    Securo laughed heartily. “I did not say that your fortune would make sense to you...at least not today.”

    Kayle stood, shaking his head. “All right...thanks...I think.”

    Securo smiled. “I wish you the best in whatever fate sends for you.”

    “Till our paths cross again.” Kayle said as he bowed politely. He began to walk away when Securo spoke again.

    “Take one last thing with you before you go.” Securo said as he tossed one of the heroes to Kayle who caught it in his right hand.

    Kayle turned the piece over in his hand, the unremarkable likeness of a unicorn adorning the particular piece.

    “Thank you.” Kayle said awkwardly, turning to rejoin Milen down the path. He found is mentor in a meditation pose, snoring loudly.

    Kayle sighed. “Milen, you have fallen asleep again.”

    Milen opened one eye. “The line between meditation and sleep is often a thin one.”

    “You cross that line quite a bit.” Kayle said as he crossed his arms.

    Milen stood up from the rock and stretched, his joints making all sorts of interesting pops and cracks. “How was your fortune?”

    Kayle looked at the piece in his hand. “Tell you what master, next time a crackpot Felymer wants to give vague advice about the future that makes no sense…it's on me.”

    Milen smiled. “How about some spicy noodles instead, there will likely be someone selling some along the way.”

    “We'll see.” Kayle said as he began down the path behind his mentor. “Maybe not the spicy part.”

            Milen and Kayle reached the path to the temple by early evening. Already monks from all over the Tillenver lands were gathering in the grand courtyard, some greeting old friends, some getting their gear ready. Many monks practiced katas together in synchronised groups, shouting as one as they moved. Milen excused himself from Kayle to go sign in and speak to the other elder monks. Kayle nodded in mock confidence, though clearly having no plans on what to do with himself.

    Kayle had always been sort of a loner, preferring to keep to himself and do things his own way with little interference. He sometimes would try to open up, but it always seemed to backfire. Many of the young Tillenver milled around outside of the demonstrations, reuniting with friends from far away villages who they had not seen for some time. Kayle walked through the crowd pretending to be aloof. Suddenly a stone boomerang shot up out of the crowd, arcing and imbedding itself into the ground in front of Kalye’s feet. Kayle overcame his surprise and bent down and picked up the boomerang, it was a nicely crafted piece of artifact weaponry.

    "Ah there it is!" A voice from the crowd called out.

    Kayle looked up to see a tall thin Tillenver girl with long white braided hair and dark brown eyes.

     "Yeah, I was just uh- admiring it." Kayle said, offering for her to come get the boomerang.

    The girl smiled. "It actually throws really well, though it can get away from me sometimes." She put out her arm toward Kayle. "Give it a try, throw it to me."

    Kayle grinned, thinking to himself that the trip might not be boring after all. He straightened up, aimed toward the girl and let the boomerang fly. As it left his hands something occurred to him, a vital fact about boomerangs…Boomerangs curve, therefore you never aim directly at the target. Kayle watched helplessly as the boomerang curved away from the girls’ outstretched arms and struck the back of a quite large Tillenver’s shoulder. The large man turned with a look of shock and anger toward Kayle who still had his throwing arm extended.

    "I uh...didn't mean to...I was trying to.” Kayle sputtered as words began to escape him in earnest.

    "It was an accident Dajin." the girl interrupted. "He was trying to throw it back to me."

    "Well, he missed." Dajin replied, narrowing his eyes. He handed the boomerang to the girl as he walked toward Kayle.

    The girl looked lost for words "Dajin come on this is really not that big a deal."

    Dajin looked back at the girl. "Tesial, I’m not going to hurt him. This is the Derenvar, were going to spar. Isn't that right kid?"

    Kayle’s eyes darted between the two, he didn't want to look weak in front of Tesial, but he also didn't want to fight a Tillenver twice his size. "I guess, sparring wouldn't be too bad...If it's what everyone wants."

    Dajin smiled and removed the top of his robes, revealing impressive muscles and tattoos up and down his chest. Kayle swallowed and got into a stance, hoping to use his speed and agility over the obviously stronger opponent. The two bowed politely and Dajin ran at Kayle, who dodged to the side as Dajin threw a strike. Kayle was indeed considerably faster than Dajin as he danced and dodged through his attacks. People began to crowd around watching the match with interest. Dajin threw attack after attack at Kayle, who managed to skillfully get out of the way of each strike. As he dodged Kayle caught Tesial's gaze, she looked like she was impressed. Kayle began to think about what he might say to her next when Dajin made his move. The mere second of distraction was more than enough and Dajin struck Kayle square in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him. Kayle blacked out for a second and suddenly he was on the ground looking up at a blurry face staring down on him.

    "Tesial?" Kayle asked weakly as the face became clearer and revealed itself to be Milen.

    "Oh, the girl is long gone with that large fellow." Milen answered. "She left when you threw up."

    Kayle sighed. "Worst trip ever."

-

Description

Chapter One

The Daydreaming Monk

    Kayle had made the journey a grand total of seven times before, but every time found himself lost in the scenery. He was deep in the mountains and past a new world every hill lay, each more beautiful than the last. Kayle found himself transfixed on a small forest of white trees, full of life and sparkling in the mid-afternoon sun. Kayle was small and skinny, even for his age, his short white hair was messy no matter what he did with it, barely hiding his puffy fur tipped lemur ears. His clothes were baggy and patched together, his lemur tail poking out through his sash belt that was wrapped around a few times more than most who would wear it.

            He daydreamed as he walked, dreaming of interesting places and people, none of which he was likely to see on the particular excursion he was on. Kayle felt guilty for longing for such things, the order of the Mountain Winds had treated him very well in his short life. The order was ancient and in charge of protecting his people’s philosophies and wisdom as well as the people themselves. The order also taught Kayle the ways of artifact magic, a talent strong within the Tillenver. Artifact magic was the control and use of magical items ranging from everyday tasks to combat. Kayle was pretty decent at it, if he could transcribe a rune onto most simple objects, he could make them do whatever he wanted, even without touching them.

            The journey was to a temple significant to the order, a mountain complex known as the Crown of History. Inside the walls of the ancient place were numerous writings and artifacts from both the Tillenver and other species from all over the world. Though for a young acolyte like Kayle, most of the interesting things would continue to live on in mystery. Today, most acolytes were arriving for an annual ritual known as the Derenvar, which mostly consisted of boring speeches and displays of skills and martial arts. Kayle was snapped out of his daydreaming by a hand on his shoulder.

            "I envy you Kayle," Milen, Kayle’s mentor began. "To see this place with the eyes of youth."

    Milen had grown long in years, having chosen to stay active in the order far longer than most. His stature was hunched, his clothes faded, and his scraggly old hair was tied in a tight topknot so light it bobbed when he talked.

            "The scenery is breathtaking master." Kayle said with a smile. "It is the destination; however, I am getting bored with.

    "You are not excited for the Derenvar?" Milen scoffed. "I suppose this must be your third?"

    "Fifth." Kayle answered matter of factly.

    Milen laughed. "I guess you are right, you never were the competitive type in the displays of skill. Though I do know of something that might interest you about this years Derenvar."

    Kayle perked up curiously, his tail twitching. "Do tell Master."

    Milen smiled a mischievous smile "Laika will be there."

    Kayle tried to hide the look of excitement on his face, this was good news indeed. Laika was a Yanivar, a Fox Spirit whom Kayle had a crush on since she first visited the Tillenver lands a few years previous. "Laika is coming...that is...fortunate."

    “Perhaps this visit, you will have the nerve to speak to her." Milen laughed as he continued up the winding path to the next peak.

    It was true last two times she had visited Kayle could not come up with a single thing to say to Laika, just watching her and trying to look like he had something interesting to do. This time would be different, Kayle decided, he would be both charismatic and interesting. Kayle suddenly stopped his planning as he realised Milen was out of sight, and he had been daydreaming again. "Master Milen, wait up!"

    Kayle hurried along the winding mountain path, careful not to get too close to the edges as some places offered a drop not worth thinking about falling from. He caught up to Milen as he stood at a small hut someone had set up along the path. It was not uncommon for peddlers and fortune-tellers to set up there, hoping to earn a little gold or trade goods from the many travellers. Inside the tiny hut was an old man...even older than Milen. He was dressed in tattered grey robes, his matted curly hair clinging close to his small feline ears. Behind him was a long slender long with a defined kink that twitched as he looked up at the pair. He was a Cat Demon, or Felymer from the Western Feline Kingdom.

    Milen looked back to Kayle with a smile showing a couple of his long missing teeth. “Ah there you are Kayle! This nice man is a fortune teller.”

    “Ummm, that's great Master.” Kayle said scratching his head nervously. “You’re getting your fortune read?”

    Milen laughed heartily. “I am an old man my boy! All of my fortune was in the past and long since changed to nothing but memories. He is going to tell you your fortune.”

    Kayle looked at Milen, then the man sceptically. “I don't know if I really believe in that kind of thing.”

    The fortune teller looked up at Kayle and grinned. “A good fortune is not a blueprint for the future, more of a collection of possible outcomes to potentially guide you into a path you may desire.”

    “There you have it!” Milen answered as he pushed Kayle down onto a small cushion opposite the older Cat Demon. “I will go meditate down the path a bit. I have already paid the man. Enjoy!”

    Kayle watched Milen walk off and sighed. He was usually not one for new experiences, but if Milen had paid for it he at least owed it to him to try it. He looked at the old man. “So how does this work? Do I give you my hands or something?”

    The old man laughed. “Not unless you expect me to do your nails. My technique is a bit above palm reading. Allow me to introduce myself, I am Securo of the Crescent moon, and I am very pleased to meet you, Kayle.”

    Kayle looked perplexed. “That’s amazing! How do you know my name?”

    The old man leaned forward with a serious look on his face. “Your mentor just used it a moment ago.”

    “Oh!” Kayle answered, embarrassed. “Sorry.”

    “You need not be nervous Kayle.” Securo said smiling. “We are just going to play a little game. Do you know how to play Balance of Worlds?”

    “Yes.” Kayle answered, noticing the fully set up board in front of him. It consisted of two interlocked grids, both adorned with a myriad of different pieces, all carved to resemble various animal clans. “I play Milen from time to time, though I am not very good.”

    “That is no matter.” Securo explained. “It is just a way for me to gauge you as I seek wisdom from the universe about you.”

    Kayle nodded and the game began, neither spoke for a few moves as pieces raced up the board to meet each other. The pair went back and forth, Securo taking an early lead leaving Kayle with very few pieces to defend himself.

    “I told you I wasn't very good.” Kayle said as he evaluated his position. “I think you already have me.”

    Securo looked up at Kayle. “You give up rather easily. You value not your abilities nor trust yourself to succeed.”

    Kayle sighed. “That is not so much the future as it is a stunningly depressing evaluation of my life.”

    “Oh, there is pain in you.” Securo observed. “That much is obvious. But you have a few pieces still, they are strong if you trust the right one to it's full potential you might yet succeed. You have a hero left; it moves in an unorthodox matter but it's strategies can cause chaos for your opponent if they do not predict it. You have a general left rather close to my end and it can overcome much should you trust in its potential.”

    Kayle looked over the pieces. “You also have those pieces and more of them. You have already taken my legend pieces.”

    “That I have.” Securo said looking up at Kayle. “Sacrifice is the name of this game, if you are to win you must learn to play even after you lose things.”

    Kayle leaned back, putting his hands on the ground behind him. “So, when do we get to the fortune telling?”

    “It is already done!” Securo answered abruptly. “Thank you for your patronage and I hope you have a wonderful Derenvar ceremony!”

    “That's it?” Kayle said sceptically. “A half-finished game of Balance of Worlds and some advice on playing? How much did Milen pay you? He may want a refund.”

    Securo laughed heartily. “I did not say that your fortune would make sense to you...at least not today.”

    Kayle stood, shaking his head. “All right...thanks...I think.”

    Securo smiled. “I wish you the best in whatever fate sends for you.”

    “Till our paths cross again.” Kayle said as he bowed politely. He began to walk away when Securo spoke again.

    “Take one last thing with you before you go.” Securo said as he tossed one of the heroes to Kayle who caught it in his right hand.

    Kayle turned the piece over in his hand, the unremarkable likeness of a unicorn adorning the particular piece.

    “Thank you.” Kayle said awkwardly, turning to rejoin Milen down the path. He found is mentor in a meditation pose, snoring loudly.

    Kayle sighed. “Milen, you have fallen asleep again.”

    Milen opened one eye. “The line between meditation and sleep is often a thin one.”

    “You cross that line quite a bit.” Kayle said as he crossed his arms.

    Milen stood up from the rock and stretched, his joints making all sorts of interesting pops and cracks. “How was your fortune?”

    Kayle looked at the piece in his hand. “Tell you what master, next time a crackpot Felymer wants to give vague advice about the future that makes no sense…it's on me.”

    Milen smiled. “How about some spicy noodles instead, there will likely be someone selling some along the way.”

    “We'll see.” Kayle said as he began down the path behind his mentor. “Maybe not the spicy part.”

            Milen and Kayle reached the path to the temple by early evening. Already monks from all over the Tillenver lands were gathering in the grand courtyard, some greeting old friends, some getting their gear ready. Many monks practiced katas together in synchronised groups, shouting as one as they moved. Milen excused himself from Kayle to go sign in and speak to the other elder monks. Kayle nodded in mock confidence, though clearly having no plans on what to do with himself.

    Kayle had always been sort of a loner, preferring to keep to himself and do things his own way with little interference. He sometimes would try to open up, but it always seemed to backfire. Many of the young Tillenver milled around outside of the demonstrations, reuniting with friends from far away villages who they had not seen for some time. Kayle walked through the crowd pretending to be aloof. Suddenly a stone boomerang shot up out of the crowd, arcing and imbedding itself into the ground in front of Kalye’s feet. Kayle overcame his surprise and bent down and picked up the boomerang, it was a nicely crafted piece of artifact weaponry.

    "Ah there it is!" A voice from the crowd called out.

    Kayle looked up to see a tall thin Tillenver girl with long white braided hair and dark brown eyes.

     "Yeah, I was just uh- admiring it." Kayle said, offering for her to come get the boomerang.

    The girl smiled. "It actually throws really well, though it can get away from me sometimes." She put out her arm toward Kayle. "Give it a try, throw it to me."

    Kayle grinned, thinking to himself that the trip might not be boring after all. He straightened up, aimed toward the girl and let the boomerang fly. As it left his hands something occurred to him, a vital fact about boomerangs…Boomerangs curve, therefore you never aim directly at the target. Kayle watched helplessly as the boomerang curved away from the girls’ outstretched arms and struck the back of a quite large Tillenver’s shoulder. The large man turned with a look of shock and anger toward Kayle who still had his throwing arm extended.

    "I uh...didn't mean to...I was trying to.” Kayle sputtered as words began to escape him in earnest.

    "It was an accident Dajin." the girl interrupted. "He was trying to throw it back to me."

    "Well, he missed." Dajin replied, narrowing his eyes. He handed the boomerang to the girl as he walked toward Kayle.

    The girl looked lost for words "Dajin come on this is really not that big a deal."

    Dajin looked back at the girl. "Tesial, I’m not going to hurt him. This is the Derenvar, were going to spar. Isn't that right kid?"

    Kayle’s eyes darted between the two, he didn't want to look weak in front of Tesial, but he also didn't want to fight a Tillenver twice his size. "I guess, sparring wouldn't be too bad...If it's what everyone wants."

    Dajin smiled and removed the top of his robes, revealing impressive muscles and tattoos up and down his chest. Kayle swallowed and got into a stance, hoping to use his speed and agility over the obviously stronger opponent. The two bowed politely and Dajin ran at Kayle, who dodged to the side as Dajin threw a strike. Kayle was indeed considerably faster than Dajin as he danced and dodged through his attacks. People began to crowd around watching the match with interest. Dajin threw attack after attack at Kayle, who managed to skillfully get out of the way of each strike. As he dodged Kayle caught Tesial's gaze, she looked like she was impressed. Kayle began to think about what he might say to her next when Dajin made his move. The mere second of distraction was more than enough and Dajin struck Kayle square in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him. Kayle blacked out for a second and suddenly he was on the ground looking up at a blurry face staring down on him.

    "Tesial?" Kayle asked weakly as the face became clearer and revealed itself to be Milen.

    "Oh, the girl is long gone with that large fellow." Milen answered. "She left when you threw up."

    Kayle sighed. "Worst trip ever."

-