"The Strength of Cassion Prologue" by Amy ´the Ames´ Perkins

Prologue

"I’m not letting you go in there!"

"I have to go, there’s no other way!"

The girl looked at him, her eyes crystal blue and blazing at him in the dark.

"If you enter that, that thing I’ll, I’ll . . ." the threat went unfinished. She sighed heavily and just stared at him. They were both sitting on the cold floor of the stone chamber. In front of them, an orb of pulsing cold, unfriendly light cast the entire room in a blue haze. The boy couldn’t help but notice how well her features were accentuated in the light. She really was beautiful he realized but despite any feelings for this person, he had to leave to save his world. It was his destiny and he knew it deep down in his heart.

"Listen, my mind is made up. The only way to stop the madness and evil is for one of us to enter the Luxorb. We both know that you can’t so the only logical choice is me." He looked at her and stood up turning to stare into the light, his jaw-line set. When he looked back, she had also risen and tears were streaming down her face.

"Please don’t go," she whispered, "if you fail, I fail. We can find another way to win."

"There isn’t another way to win," he held her as she quietly shook and tenderly kissed her head, "Let me go in. I promise I won’t fail." He pulled away and started walking toward the light.

"Wait!" The girl ran to him and took a chain from around her neck. On it was a diamond shaped piece of silver with a blue stone attached in the center. She placed it around his neck and kissed him. "Be careful my love." she whispered. He turned and kept moving on. She watched him go towards the Luxorb, as the light suddenly grew brighter as if welcoming him. Once he had disappeared, she paused, as if knowing he would never come back, and if he did, he would never be the same person. She would always love him though.

She walked back out of the chamber through the tunnel they had both come down. The only difference was she was now alone. As she stood in the daylight, the wind whipping her hair into her face, she stared up at the dark, imposing fortress knowing full well how she had failed his world. A sharp whistle brought a pretty, bay gelding to her side who nuzzled her in hopes of providing some comfort. A sorrowful smile appeared on her face as she mounted and rode down off the mountain into the brewing storm.