Jazmee27 
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THE RUNAWAY 1
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He was just a little boy, driven to desperate measures by the Darkness within our midst. He was a boy betrayed by one of the people he trusted most. In a similar situation, I don’t know what I’d have done.
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Reply #1101. Jun 26 12, 12:20 PM
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Jazmee27
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Kosiventos is a little dot on the face of the Universe. At one time, millions of years ago, it was much larger. Over the years, the Dark have shrunk our planet and kingdom down to its current size.
As small as Kosiventos is, everyone should know everyone else. Which is why it was surprising to find that the man we thought was Richard Montenegro was actually Roberto Rivera, to learn that Montenegro had been rotting in the ground for years.
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Reply #1102. Jun 26 12, 12:20 PM
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Jazmee27
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The version of the story I was told was that Richard went on a hunting trip—and didn’t return till the next day. People who had seen him leave weren’t surprised to see him show up wearing different clothes—they just assumed he went home to change, or maybe encountered another hunter, and he invited him home. (I learned later that part of this was actually truee; that “other hunter” was really Rivera. He’d just come to Kosiventos the day before, having learned, through a friend whom he never did name—but whom some suspect was none other than Karmen’s beloved sister—how he could “make a name” for himself. This involved, among other things, getting close to the one and only heir, Josiah, and systematically removing his parents. And so, to begin his latest conquest, he “invited” Richard Montenegro to his cabin for dinner. What the menu is, nobody knows; all we can say for certain is, the next day, here comes Rivera in disguise as Montenegro. He had us so fooled that, when reports of abuse started, nobody knew what to make of it. Richard didn’t have a violent bone in his body; but, there he was, beating his wife in front of the kid, and hitting Josiah if he said anything out of line—as kids are apt to do. Some people thaught Jo’s father was possessed by demons; nobody, not even me, thaught it was a real demon *posing as Montenegro.
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Reply #1103. Jun 26 12, 12:22 PM
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Jazmee27
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Josiah was one of those quiet kids who didn’t say much, always listening to the world around him. He had a sadness about him which no one could quite comprehend until after he’d taken off into the wider Universe. And, like everyone else who’d lived in the kingdom for years, I only wished I knew where the boy—and his mother—had vanished to.
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Reply #1104. Jun 26 12, 12:22 PM
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Jazmee27
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THE RUNAWAY 2
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The 8-year-old didn’t stop, though he desperately wanted to. He was beginning to tire, and wondered vaguely how long it would take until he couldn’t run any further.
It surprised him whenever he thought about the fact that he’d been on the go for six days straight. Whenever he did, though, he pushed the thought away. Thinking about it reminded him he was alone. More than that, it was a reminder of who the man who’d loved him and given him life had been dead all the years of his life.
From somewhere, Josiah found a surge of energy and sped ahead. He could feel his pursuers closing in, reveling in the fact that their quarry was weakening.
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Reply #1105. Jun 26 12, 12:24 PM
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Jazmee27
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Suddenly, the eight-year-old stumbled and pitched forward, his hands flailing out in front of him in a desperate attempt to stop his fall, but there was nothing to hold on to. As he cried out in fear and helplessness, he tried to keep it inside. He didn’t want to broadcast his location to the Enemy… but couldn’t help himself.
Like a pack of wild beasts, the Dark Hunters circled silently closer to the boy. He was now on his knees, fighting back sobs of frustration and pain. He’d skinned both knees in his fall, and both cuts were bleeding freely. Unable to stifle a gasp, he noticed the Hunters were gathered in a circle around him, their grim faces full of promise and evil menace. With a deep breath, Josiah turned to face the leader—and, until recently, friend and devoted father.
The Head Hunter, Roberto Rivera, stepped forward and eyed the child before him with mock sadness. “Why not stop running, Jo,” he asked in a voice that made the 8-year-old’s flesh crawl. “If you’d only allow me to explain—“
The boy would later wonder at how he was able to—gritting his teeth the whole time—climb to his feet and continue his flight into the beautiful landscape, ignoring the calls of his pursuers to “stop” and come back,” or his personal favorite, “just wait till I get my hands on you…”
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Reply #1106. Jun 26 12, 12:24 PM
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Jazmee27
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It was harder going this time, but the boy knew he couldn’t, mustn’t stop, not even for a second. His breaths came in painful gasps, and his legs felt as if they were tied down with led weights. Still, he continued, plunging further and further into the countryside, all the while knowing his plight was hopeless. Sooner or later, he’d collapse, and then they’d have him.
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Reply #1107. Jun 26 12, 12:25 PM
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Jazmee27
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Suddenly he blinked, rubbed his eyes, then blinked a few more times. He couldn’t be seeing a castle off in the distance, could he? There was nothing for miles out here!
Then a man stepped out of the gloom and began walking toard him. “Over here,” he called to Josiah, whose feet were beginning to stumble once more. Slowly, painfully, afraid he was about to be seized, the 8-year-old approached the man, who smiled encouragingly. “You’re safe now,” he whispered.
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Reply #1108. Jun 26 12, 12:26 PM
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Jazmee27
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THE RUNAWAY 3
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The leader of the Dark Hunters who’d tracked the boy to this spot licked his lips in anticipation. He could taste the 8-year-old’s fear and desperation as he ran as fast as his little legs would take him. “It won’t last long,” he commented to his companion, a big, burly demon by the name of Kavriyta.
“No,” remarked another of the Hunters, “we get energized as he grows weary.”
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Reply #1109. Jun 26 12, 12:28 PM
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Jazmee27
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“Look,” Kavriyta crowed jubilantly, “he stumbles!”
Indeed, the runaway was on his knees, large tears of exhaustion and fear running down his face. Halfheartedly, he picked himself up and ran a few more steps, only to fall flat on his face. This time, his sobs were filled with both physical and mental anguish.
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Reply #1110. Jun 26 12, 12:29 PM
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Jazmee27
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Silently, the Dark Hunters surrounded the crying boy, who went by the name of Josiah Montenegro. He didn’t even look up, merely continuing to cry like a baby.
“Pittiful excuse for a prince,” Kavriyta muttered. “Deserves to go the way of his father.”
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Reply #1111. Jun 26 12, 12:30 PM
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Jazmee27
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As if hearing the demon’s pronouncement, the boy gazed hatefully in his direction. The moment their eyes locked, something both amazing and terrifying happened: Kavriyta, uttering a squeak of surprise, suddenly exploded into flame. His fellow Dark Hunters drew back in surprise and fear. Only the young prince, Josiah, remained unaffected by what had happened, gazing curiously around him.
Again, the boy’s eyes met those of a Dark Hunter, and again the demon burst into flame. Then, before the others could react, the entire landscape was afire, burning with a ferocious intensity until not one of the boy’s pursuers remained.
Josiah, however, continued on his way unscathed.
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Reply #1112. Jun 26 12, 12:30 PM
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Jazmee27
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THE RUNAWAY 4
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Josiah’s limbs felt weighted down by fatigue as he forced himself to keep going. His enemies were closing in fast, so there was no time to stop. His nerves begged for a rest, and unbidden tears sprang to his eyes. How long had he been running like this? He couldn’t be sure, except that it had been a few days. Little by little, his steps began to slow and his feet to drag in the dirt. Several times, he nearly fell, but the desperation of his situation kept him upright. “They’re right behind you, about to catch you, and when They do—“ He pushed the unwanted thoughts away as savagely as he could. What help were they, scaring him all the more? Instead, he concentrated on each painful step, of keeping the distance between him and those hunting him.
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Reply #1113. Jun 26 12, 12:32 PM
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Jazmee27
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The Head Hunter smiled, revealing a mouth full of wsharp teeth. “The boy tires,” he told the demons running with him. “It won’t be long now.”
“Then we’ll make him pay,” declared a young voice, “for making us chase him through the Universe like this!”
“That we will, Mustafa,” the leader replied.
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Reply #1114. Jun 26 12, 12:33 PM
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Jazmee27
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SIMPLE HEALING
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Professor Brandis wasn’t very popular with the students, always so strict and having a wicked temper. But one thing no one could deny was that he was a good Potions teacher.
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Reply #1115. Jun 26 12, 12:34 PM
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Jazmee27
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It was one of those days when rain can fall at any time. The Weatherworkers weren’t predicting rain, but the Dark had been known to manipulate nature toard Their purposes.
A Potions class was just beginning, the first of its kind. The students filed into the room and took in the vast space.
“Please be seated,” ordered a familiar voice. Several of the kids shook their heads in amazement. Preston *couldn’t be the one up there teaching, not when he was just a kid himself!
An excited murmur started up, quickly dying down when the young man at the front of the room began speaking again. “You’ll see at your desks instructions to make a simple healing potion, he began. “It doesn’t really do too much: it can cure, maybe, a small scratch or cut, a bug bite… certainly nothing major. You have fifteen minutes to complete the task. You may begin.”
Carefully, all but one of the students bent over their mixture, frowning in concentration, watching as the liquid turned a certain shade, sighing in relief when it was determined to be the right consistency.
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Reply #1116. Jun 26 12, 12:35 PM
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Jazmee27
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The young man who stirred with one hand while staring around defiantly was named Quintin Connolly. He was by far the youngest of his father’s five children, followed by Moira, who was 17. She, however, had been given a choice. She hadn’t been forced to come to this place, not like him.
He was distracted by his teacher’s voice. “What is that glop, Quintin,” Preston asked sharply. The boy said nothing, but stopped stirring. His mixture was the consistency of tar, and a big clump stuck to the spoon.
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Reply #1117. Jun 26 12, 12:36 PM
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Jazmee27
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Preston eyed his class, looking pleased. “Most of you have down a very good job.” Quintin shot him a withering look. He returned the glance with a look that said, “why call attention to yourself? I didn’t give any names—yet. Then again, he soon would have. “Quintin here’s volunteered to ddemonstrate what happens when you mix the ingredients wrong and end up producing a *Destruction Potion instead of a *Healing one.” Again, the thirteen-year-old glared at him. Preston smiled sweetly and said, “step back after you put a tiny bit of that glop on your desk. Careful not to touch any.”
The boy reluctantly did as he was told, pouring a few drops from the spoon to the top of the desk. *Boom! The young man jumped back, startled, as his entire work surface exploded into a shower of sparks. “Best clean it up,” Preston told him.
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Reply #1118. Jun 26 12, 12:36 PM
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Jazmee27
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REVENGE OF THE FERGUSON 1
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She was just a little wisp of a thing that looked about to drift away in the next strong wind but, as they say, appearances can be deceiving. Under that fragile exterior was a tigress who could hold her own in almost any situation. This those attempting to capture her soon found out.
The events I relate now happened while her Powers were still defining themselves. Part of the problem, I guess you could say, is our young vixen was in love. His name was Preston and, for the most part, his behavior was as crude and rude as it came.
But let’s not get sidetracked. The girl’s name was Isabelle, and she’d grown up not knowing a mother’s love, or the touch of a father’s encouraging hand. Well, that is to say, she grew up without her *own parents.
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Reply #1119. Jun 26 12, 12:38 PM
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Jazmee27
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Shortly after a young Belle was born, she was found being cared by her friend Preston’s parents. He, being a bit older, came to regard her as more of a brother than anything else, and she as a sister. At what point that changed isn’t known, but… I’m diverting from the track of my tale again!
When she was ten or eleven, Belle somehow earned the nogice of one Maria Mathiesen, and shortly thereafter was enrolled in the School for Gifted Youngsters. At first, she roomed with a girl named Anastasia, but eventually she got her own dorm.
Also at the school was a young man named Ontario Gonzales. He was good friends with Anastasia, and his twin even was in a relationship with that young women.
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Reply #1120. Jun 26 12, 12:39 PM
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