Elizabeth walked down the market place. She loved to explore beyond the palace and frequently did. The pale demons strode along the narrow alley, each bowing slowly before her when they passed by. And when they did, she would smile at them; a very strange act, especially for a princess.

Noone in these lands were kind to eachother, nor were they mean. Elizabeth had been scolded by her father for showing generosity to the outsiders. In fact, even in her palace she had to live with a frowning face.

Everyone in her family frowned. However, her mother was said to have had the same characteristics as her. She was thrown into the desert of Asbeth from a very high cliff and was assumed to be dead. Before she died, she screamed from the top of her lungs:

"Whosoever bringeth my daughter to this fate,

Shall surely regret it."

Elizabeth had nothing to fear, for everone was afraid of that curse.

Elizabeth walked shyly through the crowd, playing with her long, silky black hair. Her father had warned her not to be too curious, because there were traps and plots set all over the place. Her favourite place to go was the Occult library, where she spent hours learning sorceries, witchcrafts, and incantations. She was always called the "young crone" for her knowleddge of occultism that not even the oldest priest could comprehend, a talent passed down from her mother.

She walked through the library door, stopping to slowly shut the entrance. Her long dress swayed back and forth, a mighty dark dress, letting the black-laced hems touch the tiled floor. Her footsteps sounded like rocks knocking against eachother.

She reached the counter table and asked the personage sitting there, " would you mind telling me where the books on Ancient Mysteries might be?"

"Right this way, your Highness," he replied. A quick stroke of his hand teleported them to the desired spot.

"Now what would you like?," questioned the librarian, constantly worshipping Elizabeth's grace and beauty, "The history of the ancient Human World?, Demon magic?"

"No, I'd much prefer to choose myself."

"But, your Majesty, I am your sevant, you slave. I live only for you!"

"A servant must not interfere with what the princess desires. Would you deny?"

The librarian paused for a moment. Then, sadly, he stepped aside and muttered "As you wish." He was about to return to hsi desk, when he turned around, facing Elizabeth, and said, "Just in case you wanted to know, the priest has declared another sacrifice. Would you like to see it?"

A smile stretched on the royal face.

"Yes."

-------

Elizabeth walked hastily through the crowd. She saw the priest sitting on the cliff before his alter, mumbling arcane incantations.

'But where is the sacrifice?' she thought.

The priest suddenly opened his eyes and glared at Elizabeth. Her legs froze.

She felt a sudden involuntary urge to walk to the priest. A tug gradually grew shile she twisted herself to resist. Eventually, her whole body was paralyzed. A last whisper escaped her mouth, "Nodu..."

"Nodus Liberare!," a voice yelled from behind her. The voice, she had never heard it before. Who was it? The princess's body loosened, almost tripping her. How did he (the voice) know what spell she was about to cast?

The priest did not give up yet, "Excrucio!"

A series of pains passed through Elizabeth's body. "No!" she screamed, "Contego!" The orangish energy stopped in mid air, just a few inches from her.

The priest's face burned with anger. A fiery aura sprouted from his body as if he were really burning. She thought it mysterious that noone else noticed it. 'can I see things that others can't?'

Elizabeth knew she was in danger. She had to act quick. She had no time to consider those around herself. Maybe she should run off. But, the priest was too much for her, he could freeze her again. She looked at the oddly twisted knife in the priest's hand. Never, in her entire life, would she allow that weapon penetrate her skin. She closed her yes, and then opened them. Hope swelled within her. She lifted her legs, made a few leaps and fell...off the Solvantos cliffs.

-------

Elizabeth opened her eyes. Someon or something had swept dust into her face. She blinked a couple of times. the desert sun nearly blinded her. She placed her hand on her aching forehead, wiping it after noticing the large quantity of perspiration. She felt quite lightheaded. A little clumsy push of her hand and she was standing again. Curiously, she inspected her surroudings. Nothing in sight.

Small pebbles began jumping here and there. Elizabeth began taking several wobbly steps. Her ankle twisted and she collapsed.

-------

Several personages gathered at the edge of Solvantos. They whispered and grunted among themselves.

The priest slowly reached into his robe and retrieved his hand. He raised his arm, dangling a pendant with a fragment of glass at the end. He gradually drew the fragment towards his left eye. This fragment of glass worked as a magnifying glass, but magnified a considerable amount more.

The maiden was soon spotted. There was a sudden change in the tone of the crowd's muttering. The priest lwered his pendant and his expression distorted. A dark cloud was floating across the dessert. The ground rumbled.

The priest raised his pendant once again and looked back and forth from the cloud to the girl. The cloud happened to be a herd of soldiers moving at an incredible speed. Another dark mass approached from the opposite side.

"The sacrifice shall be complete!" crackled an old woman.

"She has followed her mother's fate, "The priest muttered. "Let's test her prophecy."

His eyes widened. "We are in danger."

Then something caught his eye. He gasped, hastily tucked his pendant into his dark robe, and with fuid motion, scurried away...to the palace.