//------------------------------//
// Chapter 1 
// Story: The Defender of Light 
// by Marcus Dragneel 
//------------------------------//

	As I stood at the foot of a staircase of black stone the world around me on fire, and lightning flashing in the background one thing was on my mind "this is it, this is where i fix everything, this is where my journey reaches its conclusion." with that i took my first step  and broke into a sprint up the enourmous staircase of black stone..........


3 years earlier


I had finally reached the woods , exhausted I collapsed to the ground panting and gasping for breath as the snow fell from the sky.  "Thats it im done" I thought to myself "I cant take this anymore, I need something to change, and its going to be me who changes." I got up as I started think think of ways I could change, and began to walk into the woods the snow swirling aroung me.  I did not know nor did I care where I was going, I just needed to get away, get away from it all, the pain, the heartache, everything....even if just for a few hours.  As the hours dragged on the realization began to dawn on me.  I had never been to this part of the woods before, it was at that moment panic began to set in, I was alone, no one knew where I was, and I was lost.  "lost, im lost?!!!" i said out loud to myself, I began to run in the vain hope that maybe just maybe i could find my way out, after several minutes of running, i began to feel as if I was being watched and followed. 

I slowly turned around to see if my feelings were indeed correct, but before i could turn around I heard a voice in my head, a voice that wasnt my own, "run!!" it said, "run and dont stop running!!" I couldnt help but listen to this voice and I ran faster than I had ever ran before, my legs buringing with the effort i was exerting, my face and arms getting scratched up by the low hanging branced.  Sudenly I tripped on  a root and fell face first into the snow covered ground.  As I began to scramble to my feet to continue running I heard a loud demonic growl from behind me and branches and trees cracking and braking as something was chasing after me. I had just gotten onto my feet as I heard this, and I screamed at the top of my lungs in terror and broke into a dead sprint.  Stumbling and scambling forward, and then i exploded out of the woods and straight onto the edge of a cliff.  

I had nothing left to do but face what was chasing me, so I shaking in fear I turned around to see what was after me.  What I saw before me was some shapless beast made of  black with blood red demonic eyes, grinning at me with a fanged snarling mouth as it began to stalk towards me.  I was terrified as I slowly began to back away as close to the edge of the cliff untill i was nearly falling over the edge. The beast shook as if it were laughing at me, then it launched itself toward me, i coverd my face with my arms and closed my eyes.  "This is it" I thought to myself, "im dead", I screamed at the top of my lungs in fear awaiting the impact of my oncoming demise.  But instead of the bone crushing impact I had expected, I instead heard a crash and a loud gutteral scream.

I slowly opened my eyes just a crack, and I saw before me a girl who looked to be no older than me clad in a glowing gold aura, with long blonde hair flowing behind her. The aura around her right arm had taken the from of a sword, and the shapless beast stood before us looked to be in pain and bleeding a thick black looking liquid.  The girl before me then shouted at the beast, "begone before I make you suffer more than you thought possible demon" as she pointed her sword towards the beast.  This was all I could remeber as the world around me turned black and I fell unconcious.

I awoke to a feeling of warmth and the sounds of a crackling fire.  I smiled to myself, "it must have all been a dream.....wait fire?" I thought to myself.  I bolted upright, "Fire!!!!!!" I shouted.  Looking around in my panic I saw that I was still in the woods sitting infront of a campfire.  I relaxed alittle, I just felt an overwhelming sense of calm, I had no idea why, but I just felt safe.  It was at that point I heard a voice behind me say "good your finally awake, now stand up."  I turned around to see the girl who saved me standing there looking rather impatient.  "Who..who are you?" I asked, she glared at me looking rather annoyed "Im Azura, now stand up, I will not be asking again" as she said this her arm began to change from into the same sword she fought the creature with.

I quickly stood up "sorry I...." I was cut off from what i was saying as she placed her hand over my heart and gazed into my eyes, it felt as though she was looking into my very soul.  I noticed she had pierceing blue eyes and I smiled to myslef, "blue" I thought to myself "my favourited colour of eyes on girl...." As she stared at me, her eyes grew wide as if something had surprised her, but just as quickly as the look of surprise was there, it was gone and replaced with a look of frustration. "No" she muttered as if talking to someone who wasnt there.  "Why him? He is weak, a coward, he cant be.....fine...ill bring him" she said still muttering.  She turned to me and said "you boy", I interupted her, "Alex" I said, "what?" she said.  "Alex" I repeated, "my name is Alex."  "Fine then.....Alex, you are to come with me."