As i promised, the original version

An owl flew across the full moon, its eyes scanning the treetops below while its ears listened for prey beneath the branches of the black forest. The clouds shifted obscuring the moon again, and in the darkness a roar reached the bird's ears. As the owl spiralled away from the source of the noise, no mice would dwell near such a beast. As it spun away it saw a shape far below, nearly blocked from its view by the twisted branches. All it could see was torn patches of white darting beneath the canopy.

The white was from a stained and torn dress, worn by a young woman. She was sprinting as fast as she could, her thin face pale and drawn, fear plastered across her features. Her long ragged skirt slowed her down, its tattered edges catching lightly on the brambles. Lifting it higher she prayed she didn't trip and fall over a tree root in the darkness of the forest. The gnarled twisted branches blocked the little light coming down from the stars. The rotting scent of the dead logs mingled with the smell of freshly dug earth.

She could hear it coming closer, smashing trees and boulders out of its way, unstoppable in its rage. She had caught glimpses of its stained teeth, or its red eyes the few times that she had risked a glance back. The continued thundering of its legs as it powered forward matched the speed of her heart as it raced in her chest.

A horrible scream of hatred came forward followed by pieces of boulders and trees which she had passed only moments before. Terror urged her legs faster to move faster; spilling into every section of her being, holding her in its icy clutch. She sprinted on, knowing in the back of her mind that she could not keep up the pace necessary to escape the creature.

Her muscles began to burn, as the hours took their toll. Gasping for breath she felt her feet beginning to slow. 

She clung grimly to the bit of determination that had kept her alive while others had fallen to their deaths around her. Her head snapped back, she stumbled, as her body devoted all of its energy to force her tired limbs to keep moving. Grimly she noted that the trees were thinning above her, and that the beast would be upon her the moment she passed into the open. The beauty of the stars would be the last thing she saw before her death.

With a stumble her head fell forward. She saw plains stretching away into the distance. Turning she slid behind a tree. It was time for her to offer her last stand. There was nowhere left to hide now that she had been found. It was time for her to remove her disguise and fight in her true form.

She was unsure why she had held onto this guise for so long. Perhaps, it had given her a home at last, as well as a family, two things that she had never owned. Reaching with her mind she felt the magical cable that connected her magical guise to her real body.

Envisioning a lake set high in the mountains with a perfectly calm surface she drew several even breaths, this image to helping to calm her.

                As her breathing came under control, she wrested control of her mind from the maelstrom of emotions that threatened to consume her. When she was at last calm, so that no stray thought might unleash the powers she was about to use, she began to pull her body forth from where she stored it. The Source was a place of great power, and even greater mystery, and the only place she could have hidden her true self where no other being could have found it.

                Slowly her body emerged, glimmering with all the colors of the rainbow. As her true body appeared her present form began to dissolve into dust, swept away by the four winds. Just like my past she thought with a bitter smile.

When she opened her eyes they were a steel grey, holding no mercy, ice cold, as if all human feeling had been swept away from the images they had seen.  Her body was hardened and smooth like the edges of the swords kept to her back. Their blades were of a blue steel, while stones at the pommels glowed, one with an amazing fire, and the other with an awesome swirling whirlpool. In her hands she held a stone of similar design but much larger in size, which held the powers of both, and seemed to hold much more power of an unidentifiable form. She was clad in a simple brown leather vest, and similar pants.

Reaching down she placed the stone on the ground, and then moving her hands she placed a spell to hide it from those who would use its power, for it was still too dangerous to risk falling into the wrong hands. It glowed brighter for a moment, lending its strength to her spell. Reaching back she drew the blades from their sheaths.

Stepping out to face the beast she saw it had stopped, and stood across a small clearing, panting like a hound that senses the hunts end. It stood tall, almost as tall as a tree, thick with muscle; its face was shaped with forward facing deep-set eyes. Its mouth was in a snout similar to a wolf's but shorter. Its claws were shaped like an eagles talons, but larger to match the frame of the beast. They looked sharp enough to slice through stone.

                They leaped forward, towards each other, the creature swinging out towards her. Ducking underneath its arms she slashed its torso with the blades biting in deep. It swung down towards her with a scream of rage. Sidestepping she dodged the blow, and noticed that no blood flowed from the wound. Swinging around behind it she began to utter a spell that would sever any magical aid that the creature was receiving. Spinning around it struck her in the shoulder, sending her ploughing into the ground; her head swam as her vision clouded.

She was amazed, both at how rusty she was and at how quickly it had reacted to her spell. Leaping to her feet she turned to face the creature, ducking just before it struck her a blow with its claws to the back of the head. She was not quick enough, however to dodge the grasp which fastened around her waist. It lifted her up to its face, as they were eye to eye for a moment she sensed a hidden mind beneath the rage. It then released a roar, which was full with pieces of rotting meat that had clung to its teeth from past meals. As it continued to roar bile began to climb its throat. Its body began to shudder as the liquid rose up its throat, its stomach acid to be sprayed over her, dissolving her into something easily swallowed without a struggle. She freed herself from the shock of the horror of this attack; she began hacking down at the wrists of the beast in a mad attempt to free herself.

Howling it dropped her, but not before some acid landed on her, burning into her clothes and hair. Its paw remained attached only by a few tendons and bone. Dropping to the ground she rolled to avoid the downward blow.

Leaping up, she smelt flesh on her, the remnants of some meal long ago. She threw her blade at its throat and severed the spine of the creature. It stumbled back and fell to the ground, its breath gurgling in its throat.

She stood, and began to walk in front of its writhing body. Sheathing the remaining sword she stood over its body as its life ebbed away down to its death.

She made a few gestures of power to open the way for her to cast her spell. Speaking few words she used raw power to begin cutting the cable that gave the beast its magical assistance, and allowed a mage control over it.

She felt nothing but the strength of it, saw nothing but its brilliance as she struggled to keep her focus on slicing the cable, and ending the creature's magically aided life. Continuing to blast forward she felt the strength of the mage, he was one who could stand against her, one she should be cautious when facing.

Suddenly the cable snapped, releasing her power with no other outlet, formed flames that flew forward, basting through the remnants of the creature. Its body caught fire, though was turned to ash in seconds. Reaching down she picked up the sword the she had thrown, though the blade was blackened a little and the leather singed it was mostly unharmed.

The stone at the pommel however shone brighter than before, flashing to gain her attention. This was a warning, for the stones were charmed by their creators to warn the holder of danger.

Turning around she spotted a stranger wrapped in a thick black cloak. Muttering a few words she launched a spell towards him designed to cause a small jolt of pain, just enough to allow her to get close with her blades. The spell was no more than a slight glimmer that flittered across the space between them.

As the spell flew at the cloaked form she saw the first change in its manner. Issuing from within the folds of his cloak came a cruel mocking laugh, reaching out like a whip to lash at her over and over, rising in volume as the spell drew nearer. Rather than simply deflect her spell or cancel it he grasped it, holding it before him, like one might a piece of jewellery before buying it. The figure then shot it back with greater power. Where before it had been a faint glimmer now glowed a bolt, where before it had flitted across the space, it now raced with no chance for her to even think of protecting herself.

The spell threw her back, knocking the swords from her hands and sending her sprawling next to a tree. Looking to the sides she saw that there was no way she could reach her blades. She would have to wait for him to get close and then attack with her hands. She could not see his body, though he must be frail to be wrapped up so tightly.

                While she formulated her plan of attack he moved closer, stopping just outside of where she could reach in her present state. Focusing herself she shielded her mind, but was not confident it would hold, remembering the strength of the spell he had sent back to her. Standing tall he let his cloak fall.

Her mind had been formulating a plan but upon seeing this man her mind froze.

It couldn't be him, it just couldn't be, how could it be him.

He was the head of the council of Selvaration, the most powerful sorcerer in the world, who created creatures by merely lifting his arms, he could not allow himself to sleep for the creatures he dreamed would rise and gain form in the world. He who had sent both body and spirit into The Source. He who could control powers enough to destroy that which had been placed by ancient powers still, strange to mankind.

His name was Salvatore and he was the only person whom could inspire fear in her. As these thoughts ran through her mind her face remained impassive, refusing to offer up any clue to him.

When several moments had passed he spoke in a calm, even, yet disappointed voice "a wise man once said 'poor is the student who does not surpass the master', what would he think of you, my brightest pupil, now a traitor?"

Her voice was even, and cold, not betraying her hidden feelings "he would wonder how you could fail to include loyalty in your teachings."

"Loyalty to those who took you in is something which needs to be taught?" he asked, raising his eyebrows

"You trained me never to trust appearance, nor to trust anyone no matter how they acted, yet now you punish me for learning you lessons far too well?"

"I also taught you that our world needs to be protected, our secrets guarded, now you make it so that I must protect the world from you."

"How? Bind my mind to The Source? Even you are not powerful enough to do that, and do you dare to kill me? You are too physically weak from the magical force you wield to destroy me any other way, how do you intend to do what you say?"

"Did I say I would destroy you? No, I never did, I said I would protect the world and its secrets from you, which is what I shall do. You clearly remember our early lessons so I dare not kill you, nor do I plan to bind your mind to the source, but rather use the strength of the stone to bind your mind, and leave you no freedom. I will turn you into a mindless servant, seeing all that goes on around you but unable to do anything."

She looked on, fear yet again coursing its icy path through her veins. A grey fog grew slowly from his fingertips, gathering around him before lancing forward. It bound her, stretching her up, locking her muscles in a standing position, levitating slightly, leaning against the tree. It bound her so fully that she failed to draw breath; her lungs could not move, she could even feel her heart struggling against it, trying to beat, and slowly losing. He walked towards her when she was fully bound, slowly, and she could see that each step pained his ancient, arthritic joints.

Slowly he shifted, turning to pick up the swords, though now the stones did not glow but appeared as pits of darkness, drawing in any available light. His arms leaned heavy against his sides and he stumbled back to face her. With a grunt of strength he drew the blades up so that they rested on his shoulders.

A grin drew itself on his face, light slowly spreading from his hands, rekindling the fire, and sending the whirlpool spinning again. The fire leap from the stone, while the whirlpool followed lifting him the fire glittered gold while the whirlpool glowed like a current of sapphires lifting him into the air. He a turned into a dark shape within the blinding lights of the magic while the smells of brine from the ocean and sulphur from a volcano mingled in the air, becoming at once one and the same while also being something new altogether.

Her gaze was held with the magic, her mind blank with the simple awe, slowly shifting into horror as he grew, shifting into a larger being, and the blights began to dim, breaking off into individual specks, setting him down gently.

His being had shifted, before he had been a frail old man, who's age appeared to be 90 or above, fragile arthritic hands, pale as a ghost, his hair thing and almost transparent. His body had been bent and broken, slumping over. Even when he was not slumped over he was not a tall man, but diminutive in size, lacking even a aurora of power, or hidden strength that could be found in most who's power could approach, but not match, his.

Now he was tall, a giant of a man, his hair wavy leading down his back in long beautiful locks. His body was thick and wide, muscle rippling over him. His age seemed to almost have changed; now becoming something near a 25 year old. His clothes had changed too, where before they had been poorly made, the humble cloth he had always worn. Now they were silk, gently waving, whispering as he moved. Two black leather sheathes formed on his back as well.

Though she had seen the power of those stones she had never seen such a drastic change. He had often used them to remove pain when she was his student but never this.

                Still grinning he looked down at her, waves of calm strength radiated outward from him. Looking at her he sheathed the swords, and waved his hands, clearing the binding from her face, and neck, causing her to draw in large gulps of air as her heart leaped into beating once again.

                "Now tell me, where did you hide my stone?"

She looked up at him, impassive thinking of how he had been the first person she had truly trusted, loved, a new father. Though the largest part of his physical form was different the smile was the same kindly smile that he had shown her when he taught her, when he wanted her to try a little harder, knowing it was possible. But he was not who he appeared she reminded herself, he had hid this power, and she could not know what else he was hiding. He was not who she thought, he was not the man she had been forced to betray. She would have to last as long as possible against him, for it would be impossible to hold out forever.

"Why would I tell you where I hid it, why would I waste these last 12 years?" she asked, buying for time.

"Because" he spoke, his power enforcing his words "it is mine, which you stole, and you will return it to me."

"Why don't you just rip open my mind, you obviously have the strength, and I won't be telling anytime soon, your training will protect me for a while."

"Because the stone cannot be found by force, either you tell me or risk someone else stumbling across it, someone who will either be burned up by its strength or corrupted by its power. Tell me where it is, or will you have to be responsible for destroying countless lives?"

"Threaten me all you will, you will never have that stone as long as I live. I will conceal it from you, for countless lives ended indiscriminately is better than what you plan."

"Think before you make a decision, do not act rashly, think on the wonders I could show you with the stone."

"Sacrifices must be made, and I had 12 years, remember to think on any offers you had for me. I made my choice, you need to realize that." with her final words she leaned her neck forward and spat in his face.

                Instantly his expression changed, rage clouded his face, the air began to bend and wave where it touched him. The light from the stars was extinguished as clouds moved across; growing larger and darker, lightning began to clash. Pebbles and sticks began to weave around slightly above the ground.

                Reaching out he slapped her, her head falling to the side while the rest of her body remained standing, held by the bonds. It had felt like his hand had been made of steel. As he stood straight he drew in a rattling breath, and forced the power back inside himself. The clouds immediately began to break up, while the stones and twigs fell back to the ground.

Placing a weak forced smile on his face he looked her in the eye. The smile straining while rage burned in his eyes was more terrifying than his open display of force. Leaning towards her he looked closely in her eyes then leaning back slowly dragged the blades out of their scabbards. Looking down the length of them he waved them back and forth, watching the light play in her eyes. Appearing satisfied he sheathed them and leaned next to her ear. She barley caught his words but when she grinned when she heard them.

"True my manner may not have improved since I was a student but I know my place has to be above fools like you, those short-sighted buffoons in Hajon, and those weaklings that you place your illusions on."

His fake mask of a smile split after this and he leaned up closer, his face almost touching hers. Small pieces of spittle flew forth, splattering on her. "You think that we are short-sighted, we who protect this world, who use all available resources to bring peace and happiness to all people, you insult those students who go to my university to improve themselves and those skills they have at their disposal, who's numbers you once counted yourself amongst. Well I know of your past, living with those lowborn fools in the mountains, it would be wise of you to remember what you did during your past before attempting to use mine against me. The only thing that brought you so far in life is that people like me mistakenly offer you help and piety."

Her reply was delayed for a moment by shock. How could he know about her past, where she had come from? She had told no one, had never met anyone who could have recognized her from her humble beginnings, she had been sure of that, so how could he know? She had placed her past behind her, granting it no more power over her life than the grains of dust beneath her feet, how powerful must he be to have found out about that?

She had not believed the warnings told to her, but how could she not now? She had been told the council could look into both the past and future, but sure the past was the past, and they wouldn't dare. As for the future, too many things could affect it for them to view all possibilities. How could it be? How could her know of her past? Did he know then what she had done when she reached the city? Could he know how she had gained such sway over the city leaders? Or the way her ethics had dwindled as she met more and more people, saw what held sway over them all? Could they know every single shameful thing she had done?

When she replied there was barley a waver in her voice, almost inaudible, but there nonetheless. "You speak of a past I have left behind, of events that are no more, of a person I am no longer. You threaten me with these things, but they no longer matter to me." Her voice gained strength as she continued speaking, the waver disappearing. "You think to hold over me bygone places and people. Do you truly believe that I would give up all I have worked for all these long years?"

"You seem to believe you have a choice in the matter. You do not; you will give me the stone I once gave you. You may have been strong enough to hide from me longer than any other opponent, but I have you now and will not release you."

Drawing the blades in one quick fluid motion, crossing the pommels so that the stones lined up, power began to grow in the back stone, forming in the whirlpool, then blasting forward, its power magnified by the flames of the second stone, sunlight through a magnifying glass. When it hit it felt like the power of the oceans mixed with the power of the volcanoes of the planet, driving forward into her unstoppable.

Her eyes closed the moment the spell hit but she felt someone or something watching her other than Salvatore. For a brief moment she let herself believe that the spell had failed, or that it would not take effect, this was a mistake however, for when its true power hit, she was stunned.

                She could feel a great amazing happiness fill her, she felt the simple joy of watching an eagle soar, the pride in accomplishing a task, the happiness a child feels when receiving a new toy, the joy of being with someone you loved. She felt all the happiness of the world combined. She felt these pleasurable feelings marred by the sadness of the loss of a loved one, the depression of being regretted by those you cared about, the pain of knowing you were dying, the crushed feeling of your dreams failing, the pain of a broken heart. It was marred by the sadness of the world.

                She smelt freshly bake cake, fields upon fields of flower, mixed with rotting flesh, the coppery taint of blood. She smelt wood smoke, and fried meat, mixed with the overwhelming taint of alcohol, the stench of feces. She felt rough wood and soft cloth under her fingers, mud around her feel, and clean grass against her toes. Her body felt like it was being burned by oil flames, at the same time she felt loving caresses. She felt her hair being pulled out and at the same time, it being washed gently, she felt everything. She heard the cry of an eagle, the sounds of a newborn baby and all the music of the world. She tasted a fine wine, burnt bread, and many other things she had never tasted and never would.

Opening her eyes she saw ever mixing colors swirling together, forming the many different situations she now felt. She felt her mind splitting, losing the me of who she was as she was dragged apart by these different lives. She felt everything; saw everything, each feeling magnifying itself as she experienced it from every angle. She lost who she was and instead became everything else.

Slowly the images and experiences drained from her, the memories staying, and the torn pieces of her mind rejoining, weaker, as if something had been taken from them. She felt drained, and not just emotionally, physically as well. Her neck could not support her head. She couldn't focus, her mind replaying over and over the scenes. The logical part of her mind, numbed from her ordeal, wondered how she could still be upright.

A snapping of twigs alerted her to where she was, and what had happened to her. A knuckle under her chin brought her eyes level with his.

"Well?" He asked "will you tell me now, or will I have to send you to The Source again?"

                Looking into his eye she saw his annoyance with her, for that's what it had become, coupled with something else that reminded her of what people had looked like when she told them she had no parents. He now had the aurora of power that expressed his strength. She knew she should feel fear at what he had said; The Source was a hard place to send someone's spirit, for it wasn't exactly a place, and for it to have drained her he must have used some of her strength to send her there.

                With a hollow feeling she saw her fate, knew what she must do.

"Well?" he asked again "where is it?"

Tilting her eyes up she looked at him and asked, "Really you want to know where it is? Then I'll tell you." her voice cut off as a cackle rose through her throat, mocking him, harsh and unreal. Stopping for breath she began to speak again. "Your stone was lost, and you will never find it, I cannot even remember where it is. I think it fell to The Source."

Though his face remained clear his eyes showed a flash of shock. Before he could reply to that she spoke 3 words whose power burned her throat. Sparks of electricity flickered over her body, before becoming absorbed into her body. Slowly she began to glow, the light burned off the spell he had placed on her.

Free now her body glowed brightly, a sky blue sheen radiating off into the night. Her hair rose around her face, her eyes became pure blue, her pupils disappearing. As she raised her hands overhead a white beam slowly spiralled out from her hands, creating a clearing around them. Her body burned with a heat that fell away in waves, washing over him, forcing him to stumble away from her power.

He was afraid, for he had taught this to her and knew what she was capable of in this state. The words she had spoke released ancient powers, far too great for anyone to control.

When she spoke her voice was grating, filled with a power she could not control, harsh and commanding, no longer containing any trace of who she once was. "You will never make demands of me or anyone else ever again. You do not deserve to live on this planet, and I will rid it of you."

Stretching forward a hand she sent a blast of energy forward, arching towards him. Leaping to the side he barley dodged the blast, rolling to the side, his face pale in terror. Drawing the blades he crossed them in front of him. Her next blast was cut by the swords, digging trenches on either side of him. He spoke a word to launch himself backwards onto his feet, and then stretching the blade forward released a storm of flames, sweeping across the earth, racing towards her.

Raising her hands she created a shield of light blue energy, and waving her hand she used it to force the fire back on him, containing it within a cage of power. Lowering her hands the flames and the shell disappeared.

She laughed at him again, the sound like a lash, flicking into his ear, biting his mind.

"Where is your true power? Unleash it, for if you don't you don't stand a chance here."

Stretching over her head she brought her arms crashing down, releasing a torrent of lightning, striking him hard enough to wound, but weak enough to avoid death.

At last they stopped; he lay on the ground, blackened from the strikes. Stretching out she focused onto the last blast she could send, forcing all her remaining power into the energy bolt. She let the blast go, racing towards him. Rolling over he looked up, his body weak, he raised a shield just in time, defecting back the blot. It arced into the sky, slowly disappearing as it lost energy.

Her body collapsed as the shot reached his shield. Her body was now a wasted husk. As the shot left her it burned her body to blackened ash. Slowly, his injures causing him to be careful, Salvatore rose, and using his blades as canes he made his way to her remains. Looking down at her, tears formed their way in his eyes.

"Why? Why did you have to fight? Why didn't you give up? Why did you have to kill yourself? Was it worth it? Why?"

Slowly rage combined itself with grief as it worked its way through him. He fell to his knees, shaking with uncontrollable emotions running through him, tearing at his soul. The ground began to crack as his fingernails dug into his palms. His body tightened. Raising his head to the sky he let loose his heart in an agonizing howl, using the remnants of his strength. He fell into an exhausted sleep, confident that the threat to his world was ended.