A long time ago... (A story)

[Joey Lanai]

A long time ago, many years infact in a town that was once known as the Golden city, a city of paladins, great architecture and many people living under the protection of the guards of the town.

In this town lived a small boy named Alec Fletcher, a half human and half elven boy who was adopted by two people called Faye and Albert Fletcher, Alec had known them to be his parents as far back as he could remember, he was a quiet boy and quite inteligent for his age, he often spends time in the library reading, he didnt spend much time with his friends.

Our story begins when Alec was walking home from the local school, it was just coming up to his sixth birthday and he couldnt wait to get home, he knew his parents had something planned for him but he didnt know what exactly.

The sun was shining brightly on this perticular day, and Alec's long brown hair was hopping back and forth as he ran home as fast as he could, "Hey, Gnome boy !" he heard, someone was shouting at him from the a small wall to his right, he looked over, it was Lenny the school bully "Has anyone ever compared you to a mongbat?" said the bully, Alec stopped dead in his tracks and frowned at the bully, "Dont look at me like that Elfy" Lenny said as he and two of his friends began to walk towards Alec.

Alec looked around for a place to run, but there was nowhere to go, Lenny marched right up to him and pushes him "My father is an aide to the Duke, my father could have your fathers job in an instant, and you'de be begging on the street, like the lowly elf you are !" Alec was enraged, his palms began to burn as his anger built up, "dont have anything to say do you? Elf?" Lenny said as he began to push young Alec back, Alec clenched a fist and took a step back, Lenny and his friends mouthes opened wide in fear, they turned and ran away screaming for help.

Alec smiled widely to himself, did he just scare off the bullies by clenching his fist? Alec laughed to himself and turned around to see a huge dark hooded figure with a staff standing behind him, Alec was stunned, he gawped at the huge man bafore taking a step back, "Dont be afraid" said the hooded figure, "im not going to hurt you" he said, Alec heard footsteps from behind him and turned to see who was coming, it was his parents "You know your not supposed to be here" said Faye, Alec's mother, "Leave our boy alone!" she screamed at him, Albert, Alec's father picked him up and walked away at a fast pace followed closely by his wife, "One day he will know!" yelled the hooded man "one day..."

(OOC: this is a story ill be adding to every now and then, if you like the first part, keep an eye on this thread and keep reading!)

[Joey Lanai]

Albert placed Alec down once they had gotten inside their house just next to the old smithy, "What did that man say to you Alec?" he said, Alec still a little confused as to what was happening, "nothing Pa, he just said he wouldnt hurt me", Albert looked at his wife with a hum and shrugged slightly "no damage done it seems.." he said, Alec looked around the room and could see a  wooden box on the table next to the fire, he pointed at it and asked "What is that pa?", "Why.. thats your birthday present Alec, happy birthday !", Alec smiled happily as he skipped across the room and opened the box to see a small piece of cloth, knitted in the cloth was the letters A-L-E-C, he removed it from the box and looked at his mother obviously confused, she took it and placed it ontop his head and began to tie it, "there you go sweety" she said calmly, "now when we move to britain people there wont stare at your ears", as she moved the sides of the cloth over the tips of his ears, Alec nodded with a smile and reached up to hug his mother.

The night drew on, Alec spent the night playing games with his parents and enjoying his sixth birthday while outside it grew colder, Alec had just finished playing a game with his father when he looked up to the mantle piece, a huge sword was mounted on a plaque which was hanging on the wall, "Pa, when i grow up i want to work in the smithy, just like you" said Alec, they both smiled at eachother and there was a huge crash outside, they both looked to the window with horror as one of the windows shattered, Albert rushed to the window as Faye ran to Alec, wrapping her arms around him to protect him.

Albert opened the door and took a step outside, the streets were empty and there was a fierce icy wind now blowing into the home, Albert closed the door behind him and took a few steps around the corner to see if anyone was there, nothing could be seen but the blackness of the night, but as Albert turned to go back inside his face was met with the dark hooded man once again "Pa..." He said, "Did you know.. i once had a child.." said the dark figure "i used to dream of how one day he would call me pa... but one day it was taken away from me.. why?.. why you ask ?!" as he tugged down the hood of his robe to reveal a dark scarred face, his ears pointed as those of an Elf would, "I know what you do, and Alec will never be a part of it, he lives here now, with us ! and theres nothing you can do about it" said Albert, the robed man took a step back and smirked, he then turned to walk away "let us hope, you do not break your end of the bargain...", meanwhile on the inside of the house, Alec could hear the mumbling coming from outside, his ear twitched and he turned his head, his eyes opened wide as he could now hear what was being said outside, alec tried to focus on the conversation which was interupted when his mother spoke, the words were loud and seemed to echo in his ears, "i do hope he's okay..", the dark figure now moving off, Alec screamed out in pain, the dark figure stopped and the door burst open and in he stepped with a loud clank and a thud, "Cover his ears !" the robed man said, Faye not knowing what to do acted quickly and Alec stopped yelling, but instead crying in his mothers arms.

She looked up at the robed man and nodded slightly, "He's not used to focusing his hearing, if he had been raised with us we could have helped him learn this ability two years ago.." said the robed stranger, Albert stood to the side of the robed man and gestured him out the door, the robed man then walked outside into the darkness, Alec looked at him, crying, his father looked back at him and knelt down to hug him also...

[Joey Lanai]

Seven years passed and Alec had grown into a young teenager, he had just spent the afternoon in the library, he jogged down the steps of the new Alchemy shop after speaking to the local alchemist, Alec had grown interested in the arcane arts, he had read about them in books, about how they were banned from most civilians and only to be used by certain clergymen or those with permission from the church.

Alec was walking home again, wearing his cloth bandana and whistling merrily, "Well well, look who it is", Alec looked to around to see Lenny, Lenny was now Seventeen and was an apprentice at the warriors guild, he was wearing some light platemail and had a short sheathed sword hanging from his belt, "Still lurking around the library i see... your pathetic" he said, Alec shook his head and turned around and kept on walking "Hah ! you see that ? he's afraid" Lenny said to his friends, "You'de die before that sword touched his skin.." said a hooded figure, "Y-y-you again!" said Lenny as he drew his sword, "this is between us y'hear? you leave us alone" Lenny said to the hooded man who then chanted something and aimed a hand at Alec, Alec spasmed for a moment and fell to the floor, Lenny burst out laughing "Ahaha! thats hilarious.." he said while laughing, Alec then looked up, a dark rage could be seen in his eyes "Seytor.. neranime..." Alec chanted under his breath, Lenny tilts his head as Alec raised his hand, Lenny flew into the air and against the solid sandstone wall, he then fell to the floor, blood poured from his head.

Alec shook his head, he then turned to see the hooded man had now left, and Lenny lying on the floor, his two friends ran down the road screaming for help, Alec looked at his hands "W-what.. did i... H-how..?" He said to himself as the two young aprentices returned with two of the town guards, "Oi ! whats 'appenin'?" said one of the guards as he looked at Lenny, lying unconcious on the floor, "oooh dear oh dear" said the guard, "You lad, go fetch the healer" the guard said to one of Lenny's friends, who noded and ran off, the guard then aproached Alec, "Alright there lad, just put your 'ands out an' there will be no trouble eh?" said the guard, Alec nodded and held his hands out, still confused as to what just happened he was led away to the jailers by the Guards...

[Joey Lanai]

Alec sat in his cell as the Jailor locked the iron barred door "Hoh ! your in alo' o' trouble now laddy" said the Jailor, Alec looked up at his face, many of his teeth missing and his face as dirty as a horses arse, Alec cringed and lowered his head, letting out a short sigh before resting his head against the wall, he could hear the jailor walking off laughing.

"i guess your slightly puzzled my boy..." said a dark hooded figure, standing at the cell door, "H-how.. d-did you get in h-here..?" asked Alec, trembling in his cell, "Ah... well.. there are several ways to answer that.. that depends on what kind of person you are" he said "one might call it Wytchery... another may call it Arcane, or others may go as far as to call it Magic.." the hooded man chuckled for a moment and took a deep breath, "im here to offer you a chance to learn the Arcane arts.. and i know what your thinking... do i have permission from the church? well in fact i dont, but ! with these powers you wont need to worry about the law, people like that... fool outside just a moment ago, you wont have to worry about anything.." said the hooded figure, "B-but.. i dont even know who you are? what your name is" said Alec "Well my name is Delorim, and im your father", Alec stared at him for a moment, slightly stunned, the hooded man then pulled back his hood to reveal a scarred elven face "B-but.." said Arc "just follow me, and everything will be explained..." said Delorim as he waved a hand over the cell door lock, a loud click was heard, the door opened and the chains around Alec's hands fell to the floor, "i want to know how to do that..." said Alec as he followed Delorim out of the cells, "in time my son.. in time.."

Alec followed Delorim into the cell dorm and the Jailor walked back in with a guard, Alec gasped and tried  to hide behind Delorim, "'ey... How did you.." and before the jailor could speak another word, he was frozen on the spot, Delorim sniggered and turned to Alec, "Follow me son, we dont have much time", Delorim waves his hands about the air infront of him and created a small blue sphere which rapidly grew into a huge whirlpool of mist, "step in !" said Delorim and without thinking, Alec stepped through.

Alec then found himself standing in a forest, the sun was shining and he could hear the birds tweeting, he smiled happily and looked down at himself and said "i must be.." but was then interupted by Delorim "Dead? dont jest, we've merely traveled a distance...", Alec nodded for a moment "How far a distance?" , "Well, now we're in Yew, Arcatera" said Delorim, "Yew ! but thats... miles away !" Alec said "thats right Arcatera, welcome home" said Delorim as he gestured behind Alec, Alec then turned to see a huge castle before him, his jaw dropped "Why do you keep calling me that?" said Alec, "Because thats your name" said Delorim "Arcatera Lucius Drake is your name..."