Red flames roar and consume everything as thick smoke rises and spreads through the trees. Screams and cries as well as the sounds of clashing metal echo through the streets and up to a room where a mother and daughter are taking refuge from the attack. Blood and ashes cover the forest floor as well as broken down buildings and dead bodies.

   An elleth dressed for battle nervously passes the floor being watched by the curled up elfing in the corner. She glances over to where the elfing sits and tries to smile as she makes her way over. She engulfs the small figure in a hug and small arms wrap around her neck. Some tears run down her face and she wipes them away and tells the child that she loves them and it'll be okay.

A loud bang comes from down the hall and the protecting hug is broken as the door splinters and bursts open from repeated blows. The elleth stands up and pushes the elfing further into the corner and pulls out two daggers. An orc comes in and has an evil and greedy gleam in its eyes as they fall upon the two elves. She takes a step forward, prepared to fight. The orc growls with hatred and swings it's club at his victim. The blow is blocked by a sharp blade that pushes back with surprising force and the creature stumbles back against the wall. The elleth lurches forward and buries the other dagger into its throat, causing a gurgling sound to come forth.

   Just as she is pulling the dagger from it's lodged position in the orc's neck another bigger orc comes in and she spins around to make a cut but is stopped by it's hand closing around her wrist. Her other dagger is freed from the dead orc and she tries to make another move at the orc who presently has her captive. It stops that too with little effort and a flash of panic shows in her eyes. It quickly fades as she kicks it making it grunt and tries to free herself from it, but stops when it twists her one arm painfully makes a blow to her head with the other one. Her eyes glance over to her little star curled up in the corner and her body falls limp in the hands of the massive orc.

   A man comes in behind the orc and nods approvingly and walks over to the terrified little figure curled up in the corner. He looks over the small child and a evil grin plays on his lips. He grasps the child from the corner by the arm painfully and the elfing squirms, trying to get loose from this unwanted intruder. It looks to see the orc carry it's mother out the door and can't help but cry out "Nana!" before darkness closes in...

*End of Flashback*

I jerked from my position against the hard cold stone and my eyes narrowed and look around carefully to see what had disturbed me from the light sleep I had fallen into. I looked to my right to see a shadow taking the form of my partner. I wiped some sweat from my forehead from the intensity of my dream and stood up straight pretending as nothing had happened. 

"Sleeping on the job eh?" Jack said as he walked up to my look out position that I was covering for a sick guard.

"Hardly." I replied dryly and Jack shook his with a smirk on his face.

"Well it doesn't matter too much, there's about as many exciting things to watch as a pot boiling for dinner."

I smirked at what he said and looked up at the half pale moon. "Well it is late and everyone is asleep. Although it's usually not this quiet." I said turning to him.

He seemed to ponder what I said before he agreed. "Have you checked on Apellus yet? He probably has already fallen asleep... not."

Jack grinned at my comment. "Yes I have. He's about as asleep as a owl at night."

I laughed lightly, "He does take his job sorta seriously."

Jack coughed, "Sorta?" He raised his eyebrows at me.

"Okay, okay, extremely?" I laughed at his reaction.

"That would only begin to scratch how he takes it."

"True. So how are the others? They ready for tomorrow?"

"Yep. Well all except.."

"Celebron." We said in unison and shook are heads.

"I thought you said you told him."

"I did! And then he said he would and five minutes later had done nothing. I told him ten minutes later, nothing, fifteen minutes later, nothing, five minutes later, nothing, fifteen minutes later, nothing-"

"Alright, alright. I get the point. We all know Celebron likes to pack at the last minute. Maybe we should have him come up here and take my place since he likes doing nothing and I'll take the night shift with you. I'm sure Kelli and Phelius would like a break, they're usually sleepy heads on these trips anyways."

"Haha, true. So who is it this time?"

My look changed from amusement to serious. "Jack, I've been thinking."

"And..?" Jack looked concerned knowing from my serious look that this was important.

"I feel it would be best if we skipped out this time."

"Why not? Is something wrong?"

"Not necessarily. I keep having this dream and I also just don't have a peace about it."

"That's funny, I've felt slightly the same way. For the same reason as you."

"You have?"

"Yes. I keep having this dream that two people, I'm not sure who although they seem familiar to me as if I've known them for a long time die somehow but-"

"And you don't know where or when." I finished for him.

"You had the same dream." He said understanding my concern.

I nodded, "It's been bugging me. I also feel like something is brewing, it's too quiet, like it is before a storm."

"I've felt the same thing. I agree with you and think it's wise for us not to do anything this trip. Something is happening in the west, I can sense it, you know?"

I nodded. "Well the night isn't getting any younger. Let's go and get Celebron up here so we start our night shift."

Jack nodded and headed toward the stairs. I looked over my shoulder one more time towards the west and shook my head trying to get rid of the nagging feeling and then followed after him.

  Little did we know that we had been right, and that night's events far over the Misty Mountains, would change everything.

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Okay, so here's the first chapter! I hope you guys like it, let me know what you think. I'd love to hear your opinions. If you ever have any questions don't hesitate to comment and I'll answer them as best as I can. :) I also want to thank everyone who encouraged me to write this.

Navaer Mellons,

                             ~Jules

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