Part 1

"Taran. Taran, wake up. You don't want to be late do you?"

Taran slowly opened his eyes and saw his mother standing over him. He obediently got out of bed and dressed himself.

"Now remember what I told you. If you get lost, just come back here. And don't tell anyone your name until you get to the Academy..."

"Yeah, yeah. You told me last night."

"I know, It's just that..."

"Why do I even have to go to this stupid Academy in the first place?"

"Taran, we already went over this. You have great potential, master Javen will be sure to make you an excellent student."

Taran started down the stairs and his mother followed. "Why does she want to bring back the Ta'Kor any ways. At school we were always taught that they were merciless rulers who didn't care about the people. Why would you want me to grow up and be one of them?"

"Taran..." she said in an ordering tone.

"All right, all right. I'm leaving."

Taran was a boy of the age of 15. He had brown hair and blue eyes. He wore the normal clothes for a boy his age growing up in the city, except for a weapon. His weapon of choice was a sword that he had in a sheath that hung on his back. He had once been a soldier in training until his mother had pulled him out.

He stepped out the door and onto the streets of Aceous City. It was still dark outside. In order to meet with the representative of the Academy that would take him there, he had to get to the harbor by six o'clock, AM. It was currently five. Taran called for a taxi and one soon pulled up by the curb. He got in. "To the harbor." The driver nodded and then floored the peddle.

Taran was flung against the door he had just closed. When he had almost regained balance the driver took a sharp turn that sent Taran slamming against the other door. Taran quickly reached over his shoulder and grabbed the seat belt. He hadn't used one for a long time and it was difficult to buckle himself in, but he did.

Taran was jostled this way and that but didn't go far because of the seat belt. Without warning, he was hurled forwards when the cab driver slammed on the brakes. Feeling a small pain in his neck, Taran lifted his head and saw the driver glancing back at him. "We're stuck in traffic. Ya want me ta take a short cut?" asked the driver.

"No, thanks..." responded Taran. "I think I'll walk." He pushed down on the handle and opened the door. He tried to get out but something was holding him in. Looking down, he unbuckled the seat belt and then got out. The cab driver rolled down the front window and collected his fee that Taran hesitantly gave him.

Taran walked past the many vehicles stalled in traffic. Looking up he could see many tall buildings and skyscrapers; the tallest one was Syth Tower. When the entire world was under rule of the Ta'Kor. Now, that had been where their castle was. But things were better now. There was a Unified Aceous Republic with representatives from all over. There were a few self-governed territories, but they didn't cause much trouble.

As he came continued to walk down the streets, he began to wonder about the Syth. That's where he had gotten his job as a soldier. Syth was the main military power under GUARD. The Syth were independent from the Unified Aceous Republic but got along. They sold both high-tech weapons and well trained soldiers to GUARD in trade for their independence and of course, money. Coming back into reality, Taran realized that he was at the harbor.

The sounds of Taran's echoing footsteps, which should have easily been heard at five AM, were drowned out by the noise of the ships and other machines working at the dock. He walked down an empty dock and waited for the representative to show up. After about half an hour, when the huge clock on the side of the Syth Tower, rang out six dongs, someone suddenly appeared in front of him.

She was a young lady and the first thing Taran noticed was that she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. Her figure was slender one and very pretty. She had long blonde hair that fell down her back and a few strands that fell over her shoulder and one that fell just to the side of her eye. Her eyes were blue and matched her face perfectly. She was wearing a sleeveless, shirt that clung tightly about six inches above her waist. It was white with a black stripe at the bottom as well as where each of the sleeves would have started. Below her exposed midsection she wore a loose fitting, Arabian style, white pants with a black stripe down either side and where a belt would be. "Are you Taran?" she asked.

Speechless, both because of her beauty and sudden appearance, but more for her beauty, Taran just nodded as he unknowingly stared. "Good," she smiled. "We've got to get on that ship before it takes off." She started walking in that direction and Taran eagerly followed. They walked up the boarding ramp and she showed a man on the main deck two tickets. They went down a hall and then down some stairs where she pointed out two doors. "The Academy has already paid for everything so just make yourself at home. It might take a while."

She had half closed the door when Taran spoke. "Hey, aren't you even going to tell me your name?"

She smiled and then responded. "Kyrin." She then shut the door and Taran was alone. Deciding that there was nothing else to keep him occupied he lay on the hard bench-like bed even though he didn't need any sleep. Soon he dozed off anyways.

There was a knock on the cabin door. Taran opened it and let Kyrin in. "The ship has docked at Caflig now. This is the closest town to the Academy so we're getting off here." Taran followed her out of the ship and then into the streets of Caflig.

Caflig was one of the less modern towns of Aceous. They had kept their original buildings which had been built during the age of the Ta'Kor. The buildings were designed in the Old English style, with the second level walls hanging over the streets, and that was as tall as they were. Only a few buildings higher than two stories. The streets were made of individual stones. Aceous City had advanced to concrete and then to metallic ore, which was smooth and reflective. The poor streets here could not suitably have cars run on them so Taran and Kyrin would have to walk.

After about half an hour of walking down the side streets of Caflig, Taran and Kyrin came out into the open land of Aceous. Kyrin checked a map, and then without even glancing at Taran, started walking towards the northern mountains. They kept walking across the open field but soon came into the forest. Kyrin led them down a path that twisted and turned, but it was the only way through. When the sun was shining directly above them and through the breaks in the canopy, Kyrin called a rest.

"OK, we're done with the easy part." she said. "I suggest you rest your strength for the long climb." Taran took her advice and leaned back against a tree. He rested there for a while until he heard a rustling in the bushes.

"What was that?" he asked.

"What was what? Ah." Someone had grabbed Kyrin from behind a tree and pulled her into the forest. "Help!" she cried.

Taran leapt onto his feet. Several bandits jumped out from behind the bushes. They were all equipped with swords. They surrounded Taran who drew his sword from its sheath. He whirled it in front of the bandits hoping to scare them off, it didn't work. As Taran raised the blade to strike, it suddenly began to rust very rapidly. It was soon consumed by rust and was now use less.

Tossing the sword to the ground, Taran prepared to take on the bandits unarmed. One of the bandits slashed at his shoulder and cut it. "Ah!" Taran grabbed his shoulder.

"Taran!" shouted Kyrin. "Use your magic!"

What magic? Thought Taran. Wasn't he going to the Academy to learn magic? He started to concentrate, hoping something would come to him. With all his might he threw his arms forward. A gust of wind blew all the bandits to there feet and then they fled into the forest.

Taran could hear a slow applause. Kyrin appeared from behind a tree, giggling and clapping. "Congratulations Taran." she said. "You past your last test."

"Test?" he questioned. "You mean, those weren't real bandits?"

"Nope, they were members of the Academy. Only one of them really knew how to use a sword."

"OK, I get it. But I'm tired of tests. Javen tested me for days back in Aceous City. When am I actually going to get permitted into the Academy?"

"Soon, really soon. Come on now, we've only got to go a little further."

She led them down the twisted path. Sometimes Taran could vaguely see the Academy trainees dressed as bandits running off towards the mountain, but only for a while. As she had said, they soon came to the foot of the mountains.

Taran and Kyrin went up to the base of the mountain. Kyrin pushed what seemed to be a secret lever and part of the mountain slid away, revealing a cave. She took a torch that was held on the outer wall of the cave. Taran followed her down winding tunnels and caverns as she read the map. Taran thought it would be impossible to draw an accurate map of this cave and was confirmed when they came to a dead end.

"After you." said Kyrin.

"To where?" asked Taran. With the hand that was holding the torch she gestured up. Taran looked and saw that the roof of the cave curved up to form a vertical tunnel. "Great." he murmured. He reached out with his right hand and pulled himself up. His feet followed and then he reached up again. As he looked down he could see Kyrin climbing up after him.

"Just be careful not to fall." she said. Wondering why, Taran looked around and saw that the drop would not only take him to where they had been standing, but then down into a dark abyss. This gave him new reasons to hold on tight. As he climbed and climbed his limbs began to get tired. He looked down at Kyrin who seemed to never tire. "We're almost there," she said.

Taran nodded and with the next reach of his arm he grabbed the top of the rock. He pulled himself to stand on a ledge and then helped Kyrin up. She led him out of a tunnel and into the open light. Above, he saw a hazy fog, blocking all light. But below, he saw a small valley with a large temple in the center, surrounded by pools and rivers. It seemed to shine with a glow of it's own.

Looking strait forward, he saw a crowd of people standing by a path that led down to the temple. The crowd parted and an old man who Taran recognized as Javen stepped forward. With extended arms he greeted Taran, "Welcome to the Academy."