On a night filled with darkness a drum of wings could be heard beating faster then one would of thought imaginable. A small cloaked figure sat upon the back of a crimson red dragonfly. The figure leaning forward as to whisper encouragement to its friend to fly faster. Time was not on their side. Soon the moon would pass out of phase and his only chance to undo all the darkness his life had brought would be gone.
Eshyu was a member of the dark counsel. There where a total of Thirteen men who sat upon the counsel and the counsel ruled all that happened within faetopia. Once faetopia had been a land filled with magic and joy. There was no darkness that covered the lands until Vorish had been born. Vorish was the leader of the dark counsel the one who had given power unto the other twelve members and the one who had taken it away from all others.
Vorish believed that not all where worthy to wield the power of the gods the power of magic. He had traveled the lands and hand selected his 12 other counsel members. Eshyu had been the last of the counsel to be recruited by Vorish. His heart had been bitter in those days all had been stolen from him. Vorish had promised him riches and power even the power to alter time itself so that his body would not age. All he had to do was swear an oath to Vorish. An oath of blood that once made should he ever brake his loyalty to Vorish would banish him for all time from this plane of existence. Vorish had given upon Eshyu the power of visions the ability to see into the future so that he could protect Vorish from any who might betray him. He had never thought that one day he would be one of the very ones wishing to betray Vorish.
It was his visions that had brought him to this night. Visions of what the world should have been of what his life would have been. At first he couldn't accept how much misery he had helped bring into the world he refused to believe it. But with the passage of time he realized more and more that what he and the other counsel members where doing was not helping faetopia but would eventually destroy it.
His one chance was to find a child and gift upon it the power of hope, love, imagination and a sprinkle of magic. His visions would not show him if his effort would be a success but it was his only chance he knew of to try and brake the bond the counsel held upon the world. His gifts had to be made at the time of the moon aligning with 12 stars so that the child could be granted the power of light something that hadn't existed in faetopia since the great seal had been placed around the world. Only the alignment of the moon with 12 stars could brake through the shield and this alignment only occurred once every 100 years. He had spent years planning for this moment. Learning the ritual the words that must be spoken and perfecting a spell that would hide the child from Vorish.
In the distance Ehsyu could see a dim light coming from a small mushroom. “There my friend lies our destination.” Ehsyu stroked his mounts body as he spoke softly to it. “ You have been a good friend to me these many years. It pains me that our paths must now divide but know I shall always be grateful for the day you found me.”
Ehsyu dismounted once they where outside the small dwelling. His friend and mount gently rubbed his head against Ehsyu's shoulder and then flew away with the speed of the wind. Ehsyu took a deep breath and then walked forward and pushed open the door.
The dwelling wasn't very fancy was in fact rather poorly. You could see scattered pieces of laundry about the floor and the small loaf of bread on the shelf was probably the only food in the house. Toward the back of the house was a small man bending over a bed of rose petals where his wife lay sleeping and held a very small form that was taking its first breaths in this world filled with darkness.
When Ehsyu entered the man stood quickly and turned with a look of shock upon his face. “ You shall not take them the dark counsel may not have this child or my wife I swear you will die before I let you touch them.” Ehsyu sighed deeply and then waved his fingers through the air and the man slowly slid to the ground in sleep. “ I am sorry dear man but time is not on my side for explanations at the moment.” Ehsyu walked quickly to the small bed and bent forward to take the squirming bundle into his arms. Turning with the child firmly in his arms he walked quickly back across the room and out the door into the moonlight. Looking down for the first time to see the child a smile began to spread across his face and then slowly he began to laugh. “So a man brings darkness into the world and a woman shall brush it away.” He carefully placed a gold medallion around her neck and spoke a quick charm that locked it into place so that nobody could remove it. He then held her up into the moonlight and began to chant an ancient rite. As he chanted he could feel his body weaken he knew his blood oath was beginning to work against him to try and stop him from betraying Vorish. With even more determination he forced his arms to hold steady as he continued his chant. His voice growing louder and it seemed as if even the stars themselves grew brighter for a moment.
Suddenly all was silent and the infant child lay in her mothers arms again. Her father began to blink his eyes as he slowly awakened. All seemed to be alright. The word Synara seemed to echo through his head. He softly stroked his daughters head and said you are my daughter Synara and my life I pledge to you as I did to your mother. He placed a soft kiss on her forehead and slowly drifted back to sleep.
Far away in the land of Zanthia Vorish's eyes opened and he began a loud and terrible roar. He threw chairs across the room and called for his counsel to be called. Vorish's fury was plain for anyone to see. None wished to cross his path and the counsel was assembled in very short order. Vorish stood before them and said “Ehsyu has betrayed me and been banished into the void.” Gasps of shock could be heard from the other counsel members. “I can not determine in what way he has betrayed me. It is hidden to me. Nothing should have the power to be hidden from me. You my counsel will find out in what way he has betrayed me or I shall promise you worse then banishment to the void for all time.” Vorish turned quickly his black cloak swirling around him and walked from the room.
