Three beings made their way into the now completely empty tournament arena. They had watched as their friends disappear in the dark fog. The male of the group kicked the dusty ground in frustration.

"How did this happen? And why?!" Bekin shouted out, finally breaking the unnerving silence. "I should have gone in also."

"None of us could of have seen this coming. Let's stop trying to change happened and start focusing on where our friends went," Zida snapped. The group spent about ten minutes scanning the area, finding no clues whatsoever to Nort and Avvana's location. They met in the center of the vacant arena.

"We can't give up hope, they are still missing," said Maddy.

"Perhaps I can be of assistance."

πππ°°°πππ

The two lost teenagers where discussing their situation. The humidity was increasing, Avvana guessed it would start raining within the next three to four hours. It soon felt as if you could choke because of all the moisture in the air.

"This is terrible, just simply awful!" Nort complained, Avvana rolled her eyes, she was getting fed up with his constant whining.

"Will you shut it already? We need to build a fire AND find shelter before nightfall hits and the rain comes." With that Nort snapped his jaw shut and diligently began to assist his female compatriot. Dusk was soon upon them, thankfully they were able to make a fire, after eight attempts.

A rustling noise came from the brush surrounding the small clearing. Avvana silently reached down in to her boot where a scabbard and throwing knife were hidden. Slowly she removed the small dagger and held the weapon in her right hand, ready to send it hurdling toward the noise at any moment. The movement increased as a small chicken came bursting through the bush. No time flat, Fazooki pounced on its prey, chasing the chicken in and out between the tall, moss covered trees.

Meanwhile Nort and Avvana stood, mouths open wide and stunned. They never thought such normal creatures such as the fowl bird that Fazooki was chasing, would ever live in this wood. A moment later the dragon returned with its kill looking quite proud of himself. Figuring it'd be waste to not, Avvana and Nort decided to cook the demised bird.

Avvana, who loved rain, water, and storms, was getting very frustrated with the humidity. Her hair totally disregarded the fact that she'd straightened it earlier, and went back to its curly nature.

"Why? Out of all the times my hair doesn't want to cooperate, it had to pick right now," she sighed while trying to pull her wavey hair into a ponytail.

"Why don't you leave it down?" questioned a curious Nort.

"Because it's a pain and gets in the way," she replied exasperatedly letting her mid-back length hair fall down.

"I think it looks nice down," Nort mumbled under his breath.

"What was that?" Av asked.

"Nothing," he replied as he went back to cooking the chicken. Avvana shrugged it off, she was usually more curious, but honestly she was just to tired to prob more.

A gentle sprinkle began as Nort finished off the now fully cooked poultry.

"What are we going to do to stay at least half dry?" Avvana asked.

"We could lean sticks against a tree to make the frame and somehow make it have walls," Nort suggested, for he had made many forts throughout his childhood. Avvana quickly made up her mind to go along with his plan. The two worked swiftly, Fazooki thought he better suited supervising. Rainfall increased steadily.

"There!" Avvana shouted in triumph when the fort was completed. Their shelter was created by leaning fallen beaches against the tree in the middle of the clearing. Then they layered pine branches on the outside.

Seeing the dry place to stay, Avvana's dragon bolted inside, the two builders following close behind. It began to pour after they had been inside not even five minutes. They sat in their little tent Nort on one side Avvana on the other, with Fazooki sleeping soundly next to her.

"You were right about this being miserable," the soaked girl stated. "I don't know why everything goes wrong for me so much." Avvana pulled her knees to her chest. She'd always had a rough life, her mom got sick and died one year previously, and she felt insecure because she had blonde hair and turquoise eyes, meanwhile all the others belonging to the Schlodus class where tan, with brown eyes and black or brown hair.

Nort scooted next to her and placed a supportive hand on her shoulder. Avvana smiled weakly at him, in return he gave her a huge grin. They had always been best of friends, ever since they were small. The two where quite the pair, Av was strange and Nort was a depressed orphan. That was until they became friends. Later they met the others, first was Zida, then Snow Maddy her cousin, then they met Bekin. It was very odd for an Elf to befriend Schloduses, he; however, enjoyed their company.

Nort glaced at the now awake dragon. His grin soon turned to a look of mild yet urgent panic. "I think it's about to get worse" he stuttered.

"What is it?" she asked worriedly.

"I think 'Zooki needs to go the bathroom." They both turned to look at the mini dragon with his tail tucked between his legs and a look of discomfort on his tiny face.

πππ°°°πππ

Three faces turned to face the strange voice that had snuck up behind them. To their surprise, a person clad in a grey cloak with the hood hiding their facial features, stood before them.

The clocked figure chuckled lightly, but it was not a cheer filled laugh. Instead it sounded cruel and maniacal.

"The truth is I said I could help you, though truthfully I need yours." His voice was deep, obviously male.

"What do you need help from us for," Zida asked suspiciously. "We are barely out of our childhood."

"Your age," the stranger said while pulling down his hood. "Need not be a problem."

The teens were surprised at the face of the man that stood before them. His hair was powder white, contrasting to his ink black completion, and the teeth of his unnerving smile where a ghastly yellow.

All three took a step back in shock, for none of them had seen such a person as he before. Zida, being the most intellectual of the trio, had read about strange things that lived in the forest.

"Where is your sibling?" Zida asked.

"Pardon me?" the stranger questioned snapping his attention to the petite girl.

"You know the other half of the Slivi Siblings," she said matter-of-factly.

"Ah yes, my sister. That is why I am here. My sister Alya has been captured by a evil female named Maral," he stated."I come begging you, please help me save my sister. If you come with me, I will find your missing companions."

"Just wondering, why come to us?" Bekin spoke up.

"Because you are more powerful than you think." With a wave of his hand mist rose up around them, soon nothing seemed to be there except darkness.

πππ°°°πππ

If you are unfamiliar with the breed of dragon Av owned, one thing you must know anything that comes out of their tiny bodies is highly acidic, and has a retched stench. That was the center of the problem at hand.

"Can we just put him outside?" asked Nort.

"No! That'd be rude. Would you want to be tossed out into the pouring rain just because you have a weak bladder?" Avvana scolded. It would be a waste of time to replay the argument that followed. Their quarrel ended with Fazooki waddling over to the corner to relieve himself, causing the small shelter to fill with the most distasteful smell. Nort and Av both screeched in disgust and dashed out of their fortress. Nort ran under a nearby tree Av trailing him.

"Its not as good as our structure, but I guess it'll have to do," said a drenched Avvana when she caught up with the boy. Nort nodded in agreement. Nort gasped at the sheer size of the Oak tree of which they were standing under. The Oak must have been at least twenty feet in diameter. He couldn't even guess the height for it disappeared into the dense cloud cover.

While he was admiring the greatest of it, Avvana walked around the giant trunk of the tree.

"Nort!" she shouted. "Come here, quickly!" Nort zipped to her side and stared wide-eyed at the message inscribed on the bark.

These are the rules of those alive
If not obeyed you shall struggle to survive

Beware of orange eyes
For orange eyes tell lies
Those born of fire will attempt to deceive
Be on guard
For nothing is as it seems

But there is one thing to hold to be true
That the one who made it all
Is with you
Should you call

When you call be prepared to confess your wrong doings
For the Maker is faithful to forgive
So that you may live

"What is this place?" Nort questioned.

"A Forest of lies."

πππ°°°πππ

A/n hello everyone! Thank you for reading this! I hope you like it, please tell me what you think. Thanks again, you guys are amazing, Adiós!

~Jess