The Guardian Crusade

                               Volume I

                                                 Prologue

            An Elvaan man with long thick blonde hair ran down the root covered hallways.  His name was Avit, he was General to the Winnol Army as he had been for ten years now.  He headed towards the crowd of maids and servants as they gathered around the door.  They all talked amongst themselves as the commotion in the bedroom echoed in the hallway.  He looked around at everyone as they led him to the door. Most of the servants were Elvaan, a few were human, and they all lightly bowed to him as a sign of respect.  Slowly he opened the door and slid into the room as he kept the door as closed as possible so no one could see in.

            “General Avit.” said a woman to him as he closed the door to the room.  He turned around and saw the Queen’s maiden standing in front of him. Looking up he saw his King, King Marsa kneeling beside the bed.  His eyes drifted to the bed and he saw his Queen lying there, in pain, breathless, barely awake. 

King Marsa looked up as he heard one of the servants speak. He saw Avit standing at the door; he looked to his wife and then stood up.  Walking over to Avit he took the General by the arm.

“Hello my friend.” Marsa said with a light smile.

“How is she?” Avit asked his face fallen with concern.

“Not well but this is not an ordinary birth.” Marsa said sadly, Avit saw the pain in his eyes.

“I am sorry to disturb you but I thought you should know.” The General said as Marsa looked to his wife. “Queen Mela of Tokia, Queen Halian and Queen Evia have also gone into birth.”

Marsa took a deep breath. “I see.” He sighed. “Then it is as we thought.”

“Yes.” Avit nodded as he looked to Queen Tas. 

“Then send word to the others, when all four children are born, we meet.” Marsa said looking back to his General.

“Yes sir.” Avit nodded as he straightened up a little. He watched as Marsa lightly smiled again and turned to walk back over to his wife.  Turning around he reached for the door and opened it, hearing the birthing maiden telling Marsa it was time, as he closed the door behind him.

Avit stood against the wall as the four men talked or argued around the soft wooden table.  It was mid afternoon the next day.  He had not slept at all yet and he had to assume no one else in the room had either.  King Marsa sat at the head table his head resting on his slim Elvaan fingers.  His eyes heavy with fatigue Avit frowned as the other Kings bickered.

“She is our first child; I will not send her away.” King Adop said with anger.

“Yes same with Nalia, she is our first and after what her mother went through, I will not do this.” King Colim said agreeing with Adop.

“Aye I see, so we are expendable because we have already.” King Rossi snapped back as Marsa sighed.

“So you say you are going against the Pixca.” Marsa said looking up at everyone.

“If it means keeping my only child so be it.” Adop said as he sat back.

“I wish I could be so selfish.” Rossi said as he leaned onto the table. 

“Tell me I did not just hear a Dwarf calling a Human selfish?” Adop said with a laugh. Avit sighed to himself when he saw the trouble brewing by friends who were tired and exhausted

“Aye Adop you be starting something?” Rossi said as he got out of his seat.

“Enough!” Marsa shouted as he slammed his fist down onto the table. “It has been a very long night, and the decision we all must make is hard.”

“There is no reason to send them away, we all have been at peace for years.” Colim said as Rossi climbed back up in his chair.

“Aye, I agree with you Colim but still the Pixca have said…” Rossi was interrupted.

“The Pixca? We are to send our children away because of lore?” Adop said looking to Rossi.

“It is not lore it is the word, the word of Pixcadia.” Marsa said looking to his friend.

“Bah!” Adop grunted as he sent back. “Some word, making a woman say goodbye to her only child, her only daughter.”

“I can not Marsa I am sorry.” Colim said as he looked to the tall slender Elvaan man. “I just can not do this to Evia...” Colim said. “..Or do it to myself.”

“Then may Pixca have mercy for you.” Rossi said with a growl as he got out of his chair with frustration.

“Rossi..” Marsa sighed as he stood up.

“I will not be apart of this, I will do what I must, and Mela will do what she must for Pixca. I will not suffer for the selfishness of these two.” With that Rossi left the room followed quickly by his Chief.

“You know what this will mean.” Marsa said as he looked to the others. “Pixca has said all four must be sent, to save them, to protect them, you really want to risk their lives?”

“I would rather have her memories with death, then to never know her at all.” Colim said. Marsa closed his eyes and sighed.

“Then you will send yours as well?” Adop asked.

“It is what Pixca wants.” Marsa said with a nod.

“Then it has been stated, and so it shall be written.” Guardian Rem said as he stepped forward. Avit did not like him much and he was usually a good judge on a person. There was something about Rem that just did not sit well with him. “The girls will stay, the boys will be sent to Earth where they will be protected.”