Why is the ground moving so fast? I'm not spinning, am I?

Why does my head feel hot?

Wha-What am I wearing?

A strange coat was on me with a mark on it. It had a lion's head, a bird's body, and a spiked tail, all in black and red.

I focused my sight forward. Way in the distance stood a long line of people dressed in dull colored clothing. No, running.

A slight breeze slapped my face and I remembered where I've been before.

My arms shifted and so did my legs.

In a second I was facing the man from before. We both exchanged complete glances with our eyes locked together.

The young man's eyes glowed with a vibrant green and his features....

His bright bouncy locks of pure orange. His name? Maybe it wasn't him, but for correct measure I whispered it.

"Oliver?"

His eyes never left me. Even for a second.

The loud whinnying of the beast below us broke our stares and took us to the major scene before us. We were immediately drawn to the commotion we missed.

"Stay here," the man I think to be Oliver ordered. He hopped off of the beast we rode on and stormed forward with sudden fear. "Equidoris!"

In front of me lay hundreds of multicolored warriors, all big and broad shouldered. Three colors seemed to be fighting each other. One in orange and red, one in blue and green, and one in a blood red and black.

I looked at the emblem on the coat I wore and back at the black and dark red fighters, I'm on their side.

More large beasts like the one I'm on. Their riders drove them through the battlefield and plowed fields of men down. Of the all still alive, the orange and red were winning

I straighten myself on the beast and held the rope Oliver held before. The beast bowed its head and darted back as the fighters drove closer to the edge. I flailed at the speed of the best and held its long, thick neck tightly.

"Erilye!"

I looked up and far away I caught the eye of one of the beast riders just before his beast was taken down.

At this moment, I recognized the slaughter that was happening and whispered to the horse. "We have to move beast. Go forward."

The beast flicked its head back and ultimately threw me off of it. The cream colored beast then darted away back into the thicket of trees.

My attention drew to the suddenly advancing brutes with their eyes on me. I backed up quickly and hoped a lost soldier would block their way, but none did. Just when they got close enough, one of the lifted his axe.

I pushed back quickly screamed. All close attention was drawn to me.

I threw my head back and began to get ready for the pain.

Just as the other man lifted his battle axe, the sky lit up with a bright blue. Against the growing black sky, the light took all attention.

"They're here!" A man shouted. Another cheered with the news and the black and red soldiers lifted their weapons high.

My eyes jolted toward the two orange and red soldiers, just as I hoped a body stepped between us.

An enormous brute stepped between us and kicked back, hitting my leg. He deflected the men's attacks and glanced back at me. His cold grey eyes glared at me. "Run fool."

I looked down and stepped up. "Where?"

In a swift move the man thrusted his sword into the neck of one of the opposing. In another strike he took down the other and turned back toward me.

"Go to the tower." He grabbed something off of his leather belt and thrusted it up into the air.

A thick purple powder rained down on me and stained my hair, skin and clothes.

The grey eyed man also pushed a dagger into my hands while he pushed me away. In a split second, a sword pierced his side and he collapsed.

I stared at him as I turned and ran along the edge of the fight.

"Look!"

I broke from my run and glanced to my left. A new army of orange and red flooded the battlefield and this time, all the fire soldiers cheered.

The blue and green men eyed the reinforcements and steadily started to fall back. The red and black soldiers still had their hopes and fought forward.

I went back toward my journey for the tower. The tower that was supposed to stay hidden. Its top was painted with a milky grey and its middle to bottom was painted to fit the forest it was surrounded by.

The closer I got to the tower, the more ally soldiers I met. The black and red soldiers didn't do anything as I passed and the blue and green soldiers covered me from the advancing orange and red soldiers.

"Erilye!"

I stopped and turned around. Behind me Oliver struggled to catch up. Once he did, he nodded to the black and red soldiers.

"We have a dire reason to fight!" he shouted. He glanced at me. "Fight to your deaths!" All nearby soldiers looked at me and raised their weapons. "Forward!"

I held the dagger close to me and ran with Oliver toward the standing tower. "What's happening Oliver?"

Oliver ignored me until be stepped through the metal doors of the dark tower. He grasped my shoulders and looked into my eyes then. "Lye, you must survive. You know that? You have to! Even if all of us die, you must not. This no longer a quest for defense, but one for protect. The Montregons must not get you, they will do terrible, terrible things to you if they find you. Understand?"

I nodded.

"Good," he sighed. "Get to the top and wait there." He pointed to the stone stairs and I started to it. "You four! Stand guard!"

I glanced back at the five soldiers on the ground floor and eyed all four that followed behind me. Something told me that ever one of them was going to die.