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Quark had been flying for days and had yet to eat.  The occasional rat or squirrel it had seen and snapped up were pathetic morsels for its raging appetite.  It yearned to sink its wet teeth into the girl and then the boy.  No, it would kill the boy first, eat him in chunks, then it would kill the girl and take her back to its master.
    
Quark swooped down and brushed itself along a forest of trees, scratching its underbelly.  It didn’t like its master that much, but it knew it was powerless against Jolus the Malignant.  Its master had created it after all, and could easily destroy it if it wanted.   
    
Quark would carry out its master’s bidding.  But now it was really hungry and wanted something bigger to eat and it couldn’t wait until it found her.  Its mental sonar could sense the Chosen One, who was getting quite close now.  Quark flapped its wings faster, increasing its speed.  When it reached them, it would take its time.  It would circle them first, then swoop down and take the Guide.  It would eat the Guide, and then come back for the Chosen One.
    
A large grin formed on Quark’s face.  It would have been a smile, if this creature could smile.
    
Then it saw the animal, between the trees on the mulchy ground below.  A wild horse, brown with white patches: a perfect meal for Quark.
    
It drew in its wings, forming an arrow shape, angling its body downwards.  It plummeted at an astonishing speed, slipping between the trees and branches like a blade, opening out the wings once it was below the branches.  This slowed its speed, but it kept the direction and the horse didn’t know what was happening until it felt the jaws of Quark snare around its neck and snap it quickly.  The horse let out an almost human squeal and collapsed to the ground.
    
Quark landed on the horse, its talons sinking into the flesh, folding its wings, looking like a cross between a giant vulture and a giant bat.  Quark reached over and dug its pointed jaws into the dead animal, digging deep and taking a large bite.  It pulled out a large chunk of the animal, chewing gleefully, its face now covered in blood.  It didn’t care; it had its food, and it new that this was a rare thing.  Big food like this wasn’t easily found in the wilds of Jolus the Malignant’s kingdom.  It knew that it wouldn’t be until it found the Chosen One and the Guide, before it would eat a big meal like this again.  And it didn’t know how long that would be.  It knew that the Chosen One and the Guide were coming closer to it, and it was coming closer to then.  But it still didn’t know how long it would be.
    
It took another bite.

    
It was a day later that Kyra and Doci noticed a stark change in the terrain; having seen nothing but wasteland and barren rock for many days, they were ready for any change.  Though like most changes, it was gradual.
    
At first sparse blades of grass appeared, increasing in concentration the further they traveled.  Looking ahead, they saw the land was green in the distance – not a luscious, vibrant green like a well-maintained garden, but a clear indication that they were now leaving the desert and entering this next land.
    
That night Doci had a dream.  Like he did everyday, in his dream Doci was walking.  That’s all they seemed to have accomplished over the last few days: walked a lot.  So it was only natural that Doci should think he could get further by walking in his dreams. 
    
In the dream, he walked from their camp, with the light of day just beginning, the sun barely above the horizon.  Kyra was following, about five steps behind him.  He kept walking, his legs doing the work.  He looked over his shoulder and saw Kyra; only it was just a blurry human form that vaguely looked like Kyra.  The blurry figure was walking along behind him like a shadow and Doci was unsettled by this.  He turned his head back around and looked to where he was headed, ignoring the following phantom, pretending it didn’t exist.
    
Just like in the real desert, the hours dragged by as he walked on and on.  What was strange was that he wasn’t getting tired at all.
    
A while later he saw on the distant horizon what looked like small hills, but the closer he got, the more they grew in size.  As he drew close to them, he saw they were in fact a mountain range.  He looked over his shoulder again and saw the phantom, just standing with a vague humanoid form, pulsating with color and light.  Doci quickly looked back at the mountains.
    
He began walking again and as he reached the sheer face of the rock there was a bright flash of white and the mountains were gone.  Before him was a ravaged desert land that looked like it had to be the worst place in Aisis Lip.  He looked over his shoulder once more and saw the mountains reaching up to the sky behind him.  He saw the phantom, still there, only now it was floating off the ground, as if it had drawn up its legs and was able to levitate off the ground.
    
Doci turned back and looked at the destroyed land before him.  Whenever he tried to focus on a certain point, it would become blurry, almost as if he couldn’t see exactly what it was, but knew it was bad.  He looked straight ahead and tried to focus on the horizon.  All of a sudden he shot forward at an astounding speed and then before him stood a giant old castle, except it wasn’t a castle, it was a lair, his lair.
    
Doci heard a growl, not coming from within the lair, but from behind.  He looked over his shoulder for the last time and saw a tall horrid creature, loosely human, all teeth and hair.  Black eyes stared at him with hate.  The mouth opened to reveal even more teeth and then it roared.
    
Doci screamed and awoke.
    
He told Kyra that they were approaching the edges of Jolus the Malignant’s kingdom.  Having left the desert, they now only had to pass through this grassy savannah, through the gap in the mountains at the very end, and then they would enter the borderlands of Jolus the Malignant’s land.  Doci watched Kyra as he told her this information, and was impressed with the way she showed no fear, maintaining a stalwart demeanor.  It helped his confidence.
    
While Kyra was showing her brave face, inside she wasn’t feeling completely the opposite, but wasn’t at ease either.  Like Doci, she wasn’t too happy that they were getting closer to Jolus the Malignant.  She was enjoying the exploration of the Aisis Lip, getting to know Doci better too.  But like all good things, they must eventually come to an end.  She would have to face the all-consuming evil that was Jolus the Malignant.  Kyra was now ready, at least physically:
    
Doci was doing his job as Guide.
    
She was the Chosen One, as said in the Scriptures.
    
She had the magical powers to oppose and hopefully stop Jolus the Malignant.
    
She now had the weapon – her sword, which she hadn’t even attempted to wield yet, mainly because she didn’t know how – ready by her side.
    
But she wasn’t ready mentally; she lacked the courage, the stamina, the sheer will inside her to face Jolus the Malignant and kill him with this weapon.  She honestly didn’t know if she could go through with this, and while she did feel close to Doci, she couldn’t confide in him.  Not yet anyway.  For now she needed to keep it all inside.  When they got closer, she would tell Doci.  They would face Jolus together.

    
Doci was the person to again spot the strange thing ahead; he was the Guide after all.
    
He shook Kyra awake and then, as she sat up, simply pointed high and far into the distance, in the direction they would be walking today.
    
Kyra rubbed her eyes, looked and gasped.  There before them looked like something from her own fantasy dream.  Kyra felt a very strong memory from her past, her old world, seize her mind and take over.  It was a piece of writing by a man named John Smith, on his arrival to the New World: “. . . Our lodgings castles in the air.”  For that was what stood before her: a hazy, blurry, unclear structure that could be nothing else but a distant castle with its turrets and towers and solid fortifications, high up.  It didn’t look anything like Enchantus Palace, but was its own distinct structure.  It sat upon a mountain, like a graceful lion watching over its territory below.  Kyra pulled back a little and saw that the mountain was one of an entire range. 

That castle might have people inside, Kyra thought.

Doci looked at her.  Not necessarily Kyra, that castle could’ve been here for a very long time, and we haven’t any idea how old it might be.  Whatever or whoever may have been there may have left or died, Doci thought.

Kyra nodded.

But then again, the castle could be filled with people all alive and well, and who would likely be overjoyed to see us, Doci thought.

Kyra smiled at this.

Yes, that’s possible.  But there’s another thing reaching this range means, Kyra thought.

Doci looked at Kyra questioningly and she regretted having to remind him about this crucial bit of information. 

That mountain range is the boundary to the kingdom of Jolus the Malignant.  It can’t be too far beyond those mountains.
Doci’s smile dropped from his face, as he looked beyond the castle.  Yes, it is, he thought. 

He looked up in the sky and saw something.

“Oh no!” he cried out for the first time in days.

Kyra looked up and gasped for the second time that day.

Quark swooped through the air, its eyes searching the desert, looking for its victims.  Its senses were going haywire, letting the creature know that the prey were close, very close.

Then it saw them, below, straight out from the castle it had passed over.  But one of them had spotted Quark, the Guide.  Its plan wouldn’t work; it would have to go with instinct: attack.
    
Quark began the dive, aiming right at them.  It picked up speed and felt its stomach rumbling at the thought of this fresh meat.  It couldn’t wait.  It’s mouth opened and saliva was whipped away from its teeth by the wind. 

That hideous grin formed on its face again.

“What is it?” Kyra said, wondering exactly what they were going to do, because the thing was headed straight for them.

“I think it’s . . .” Doci began.  “It’s Jolus the Malignant’s creature.  It’s managed to find us.  Just like Demto said.  And I guess now it wants to tear us to p-pieces.” 

Kyra studied the creature: its wings were long and black, but it was still too far away for her to see exactly what it was.

“Okay Doci, get ready, because we’re going to have to fight it,” Kyra said

“No!” Doci said.

“Yes!  We knew this was going to happen.  It can’t always been fun and games.  So get ready for a fight.”

Kyra stepped back and lifted her sword, studying the blade, then she did an unusual thing, bringing the blade to her face, she kissed the metal.  It was cool , not hot, even though it had been in the sun.  Then she looked back at the creature and prepared herself.

Doci looked at her in a new light.  So here were Kyra’s true colors.  Earlier when Kyra had put on a brave front, keeping a strong face and posture, he figured inside she wasn’t so calm and collected.  But now, in the face of this evil, this danger, this imminent attack, she was still and composed, ready to fight.  She truly was the Chosen One.  Doci knew this now, seeing her standing there, sword raised.  It was covered with the dirt of ages, but was still a formidable weapon.  And even though he knew that Kyra had never used a sword before, somehow she would.

And if she was going to deal with this demon however she could, even if it was with an old, unused sword, he was going to do the same.

Doci lifted up his sword, just as grimy and dirty as Kyra’s, and prepared himself for the oncoming attack.  He took a few steps and stood beside Kyra.  Together they would face this.  Together.  For it was just one, and they were two.  Just as they knew together they would defeat Jolus the Malignant, so together they would defeat this creature, his spawn.

The creature was fast approaching, looking like a large black projectile that would stop for nothing.  The closer it got, the more they could see of it, and the less they liked it.  It’s open jaws were two halves of a long black beak, filled with triangular teeth that were all serrated, as it let out a wailing screech.  The sound seemed to explode from all directions, stretching out far.  It hit the mountain range, and soon came back, echoing its horrible sound.

Kyra wondered what the people in the castle – if there were any – thought was going on, if they’d seen the creature fly over them.  Maybe they would come to their rescue?  She didn’t think so, but then she also didn’t think she needed rescuing.

It was the ugliest thing she’d ever seen.  No, the second ugliest, the first was Jolus the Malignant, but since this was a creation of his, it was not surprising that it came second.  The eyes were white orbs, giving it a paranormal look, also making the creature look blind.  But Kyra didn’t think so with its precise direction, and the way it kept making minor adjustments.  Its fur was a mixture of gray and black, hair longer around its eyes.  Kyra wasn’t sure whether these were eyelashes or not, but it gave the creature a wild, maniacal appearance.  Kyra was reminded of a flying dinosaur as she looked at this horrid creature.  A pterodactyl from hell!

Its skin was leathery and elastic, much like a bat’s, and its body was sparsely covered with that gray-black hair, as if it suffered from mange or some other disease. 

But Kyra was ready for it. 

As the creature closed in, Kyra bent her knees slightly.  The creature now opened its wings, wide, slowing it down, to scoop up Doci.  As Kyra saw this about to happen, she jumped in the air and kicked off Doci, knocking him over and away, while she fell back and away.  She rolled three times and picked herself up.  She was up and ready, sword poised.

Quark was unable to divert its attack: one moment its food was there and then it wasn’t.  Quark hit the ground hard and felt its beak crack somewhere, sending bolts of pain shooting into its head and small brain.  It squealed and flipped over, tucking its wings in.  It got to its feet and looked around.  There was the Chosen One.  Quark snarled at her, and raised its bird hands, claws extended.  It took great strides towards her, ready to swipe its arms from high to low, with the intention of cutting down the girl.  It couldn’t tell what the Chosen One had in her hand, and was only somewhat wary of it.

Kyra lifted the sword up high behind her, its weight just perfect for her strength.  Even though she wasn’t skilled in sword fighting, she could wield it well enough to do damage.

The creature came at her and she quickly sidestepped and brought the sword down, barely missing the arm that came down, claws reaching for her.  One claw caught her sleeve and cut through it cleanly, making a shallow wound.  Her sword came round and connected with the side of the creature, below its arm.  But that was all it did.  Not cutting into the creature and slicing through vital organs.  It thudded and stopped there, causing no lacerations.  It wasn’t because of the creature’s impenetrable skin, but because her sword was to dull. 

She jumped back, still holding onto the sword, wanting to put distance between her and the creature.  She rested, catching her breath, her heart thumping in her chest.  The creature watched her with its evil milky-white eyes. 

Quark was unhappy that it hadn’t caught her, but now the Chosen One was standing there, tired, it could tell. 

Quark came at the Chosen One, and she was unable to bring her weapon up to defend herself in time.  Now it was close to her.  It raised its left arm and brought it down, the talons reaching for the girl’s face.  Then it felt a sharp stabbing pain in its back; Quark knew it was mortally wounded.

Doci roared as the sword stabbed deep into the hot flesh of this creature.  He felt it moving and stepped back, letting go of the sword.

He took more steps backwards and watched as the creature turned around and faced him.  Its beak had been cracked off, leaving two semicircular jagged edges dripping with black viscous stuff.  The creature screeched at him, making him shake with fear.  Then it came for him.

It didn’t creep along one step at a time, but launched itself in the air, not using its wings, but just its strong hind legs.

Doci was frozen on the spot, too scared to move.  It landed on him and knocked him to the ground.  He felt it open the remaining broken beak jaws and sink them into his shoulder, while its talons began raking at his stomach, shredding his tunic and digging into his soft flesh.

Doci began screaming.

Kyra got up quickly, ignoring the scratch she’d received, and charged at the creature, which was turned from her.  She jumped on top of it and pulled back so it lifted up from Doci and was able to get the sword around and pull it tight at its neck.  Then she applied all the force she could muster, pulling harder and harder, and before she knew it, she began whispering magical words in its ear:

“Ohlka, filipa, meeka, deka.  Ohlka, filipa, meeka, deka.  Ohlka, filipa, meeka, deka.  OHLKA, FILIPA, MEEKA, DEKA! OHKLA, FILIPA, MEEKA, DEKA!” she yelled at it.

She soon felt the sword start to cut into the creature’s throat, biting through the flesh and then bone, spraying its black blood on her hands.  But it didn’t burn, as she expected, just warm and sticky.  Its body began shaking uncontrollably, moving about as if there were small creatures beneath its skin.

Kyra let go and stepped back, still holding her sword like a warrior.  She watched as the creature began to fall apart.

Its wings fell off first, one and then half of the other, then the rest of it.  The semi-severed head toppled off next, then the arms, then one leg, and then it broke in half, before it fell.

Soon it was just a puddle of broken skin, bone and hair.  Then it was less, until there was finally nothing.  Her magic had broken whatever creation spell Jolus the Malignant had uttered to create this filth, and it was now all undone.

She looked to Doci and saw him lying on the ground, not moving.  She dropped her sword and fell at his side, looking at his face.  It was covered in sweat, like he was suffering a severe fever, but he was unconscious, while his body was shaking.  She touched his head and felt it burning against her palm.

She lifted her hand off, wiping the sweat on her tunic, and rubbed her hands together, generating heat.  She had no idea what she was doing, but just doing what her mind was subconsciously telling her.

She laid her hands, palms down, onto Doci’s chest and pushed down with force, holding him there.  The shivering, shaking body stopped, and Doci just lied there.  His breath began to slow, while his sweat dried up, and his pulse decreased.  Kyra could see an orange glow around her hands.  After fifteen seconds, Doci opened his eyes and looked at Kyra.  He smiled with confusion in his eyes, then clearing as he saw Kyra over him.  He touched her hands with his and sat up quickly, kissing Kyra firmly on the lips.  It was for a few seconds and then he pulled away and she was too astonished to react, sitting back and almost falling over.

Doci sat up now, fully recovered and revived.  In fact, he was feeling supercharged; Kyra’s powers had done wonders for him.  Then Doci remember something.

“Kyra, what about where the creature scratched you.  I saw it, it cut you.”

Kyra took her shocked eyes off Doci and looked down at where her upper arm, but there was no wound there, no sign of a cut; Kyra’s magic had healed her.

She got to her feet and helped Doci up.  She wasn’t going to even think about addressing what had just happened between them, or why he’d done what he’d done.  It was something for a later time.  Much later.  But she had to admit, she hadn’t minded it, actually, she’d quite liked it.

She smiled as she took Doci’s hand without thinking.  He picked up his sword and they began walking towards the mountain range, where on one mountain sat a castle in the sky. 

They had just won their first fight and at this moment felt unstoppable.