A giant clock stands in the middle of the cavernous room.

Large hands slowly move according to

the many different realms of time. Several lie still, never to move again, while others move on, around
and around the luminous face. An elderly man watches as a small hand shudders to a stop, and then feebly
begins moving again. A grin slices across his wrinkled cheeks and he walks over to a glass globe,
containing the essence of the world, whose hand on the clock of time is, slowly but surely, ticking to an
end. He lifts it in his shaking hands and an image of seven men and women appear before him. He
addresses them all and watches the horror flicker across their faces. “It has begun.”

The seven youths stood scattered throughout the large room, their gazes flickering from one to
another, sizing each other up. Curiosity finally outweighed wariness and the girl with flame-coloured hair
stepped away from her position beside the wall and approached the tallest girl who stood near the door, an
arrow from the quiver on her back clutched tightly in her fist.
“I’m Dawn Macgus from Anist Town.” She offered a hand. “It’s nice to meet you.” The girl
looked at her then down at her hand. Taking hold of it, they shook hands, green eyes watching dark-
brown ones.
“Eden Veial from Dyali Forest.” Her grip tightened on the arrow when her gaze whipped past
Dawn to watch as one of the boys shifted positions near the fireplace.
“So, you’re really an elf then.” Dawn said, thinking herself courageous. “I’ve never seen one
before.” Ebony looked back at her and amusement flickered at the corner of her lips as they curved
upwards.
“I’ve never seen a human either.”
“Well, we can’t have been missing much. We don’t look very different.” She gestured towards
her face. “Except the ears.”
“Humans can have pointed ears as well.” The voice came from a boy who was leaning on the
wooden table that had been pushed against a wall. A young girl sat on the opposite end of the table, her
legs swinging back and forth. He waved towards the girl and a gust of wind lifted her long pale blonde
hair away from her face, revealing small, slightly pointed ears.
“I am not human.” Her voice was quiet, melodious and completely devoid of emotion. “And
using magic on me without my permission is very rude.” His eyes widened slightly in shock, and the two
older girls glanced questioningly at the exchange.
“My apologies.” He said. She nodded and kept her large purple eyes trained on the floor.
“What’s magic?” A boy asked, from his position beside the fireplace.
“A special weapon.” The small girl answered. “A way of communicating with things that can’t
understand normal speech, of bending them to our will.”
“Not necessarily true, but in the case of your magic, it is.” A young man spoke up, swinging a
clock by a gold chain from his fingers. She shot him a glance, those eyes still doll-like in their lack of
emotion. Her gaze narrowed slightly and the glass face of the clock shattered, the shards falling at his
feet. He glanced down at the watch. “How childish.” The shards flew back up into place and the cracks
faded as if they’d never existed.
“Cool.” Dawn breathed.
“I have been blessed with the ability to work with time. I do not control it. Whereas she,” he
nodded to the young girl, who had slipped off the table and turned to face him. “Has a broader range of
magic. Impressive in its many forms, especially for someone so young, but unstable and messy when her
control breaks.”
“My control never breaks.” Her voice was still calm and those eyes stayed lifeless, her small
hands curled into fists as the only outward sign of her anger. “And we are not the only ones with magic in
this room.”
“Oh yes. The elemental mage.” He shot the boy a glance, taking in the silver hair, deep blue eyes
and uneasy expression. “A strong type of magic, but rather limited in its abilities.”
“Do not look down on others just because you feel superior.”
 Another young man slipped between them, smiling charmingly. “Everyone, let this air of
animosity fade. It will not help us in our quest. Perhaps we should introduce ourselves. I am Claye
Albion, heir to the thrown of Cross Kingdom.”
“You talk funny.” An amused sound escaped Eden’s lips at Dawn’s bold statement. “We’re Dawn
and Eden.”
“Gale Sheol from Boedun Kingdom.” Said the youth near the fireplace.
“Victor Lamben from Tirya Kingdom.” The watch swung on its gold chain, back and forth.
“Song Arcana from Fyecal City.” The young girl slowly unclenched her fists and nodded her
head slightly in greeting.
“Alec Thonstus from Henia Temple.” The young mage’s grin was charming in its awkwardness.