Lyra and the Lost Seven Paths

The king was dead, and Lyra knew that the kingdom would need a new leader, someone who could bring peace to the land. She knew the best way to do that was to open the borders.

The border between Downland and Macraya had been sealed for years. Lyra's father, King Bridel, had died a few months ago, and now it was up to her to start a new chapter in their Kingdom's history. She sat at her desk in her chamber, pondering what she should write to the people of her lands about the borders.

"I guess I can just write whatever," Lyra thought aloud as she leaned back in her chair. "It'll be better than what my father said anyway."

Lyra pulled a piece of paper out of a drawer in her desk and began writing. "Dear citizens of Downland and Macraya," she started, "My name is Lyra, daughter of King Bridel..."

A knock on the door interrupted Lyra's letter-writing. She jumped up at once and opened the door. It was one of her guardsmen. "Yes?" said Lyra curiously as she looked at him blankly. The guardsman glanced around nervously before looking at his princess again. He took a deep breath and plunged into his speech: "Princess Lyra, we've just heard from our scouts in the east that there are... strange creatures moving through the forest."

"Strange creatures?" wondered Lyra aloud. Her mind instantly flashed back to a book she had read as a child about monsters that roamed through forests at night, devouring any creature unfortunate enough to cross their paths. She remembered how terrifying it had been for her when she found out that such beasts did indeed exist; surely they were only legends now? Out loud, she said, "What kind of strange creatures?"

"We're not sure yet," said the guardsman slowly. "But they are moving very quickly." His eyes darted back and forth again as he said this last sentence. A sinking feeling began to form in Lyra's stomach as she realized what he meant by this statement: these creatures were running toward them! As if sensing this realization, the guardsman quickly added with a look of desperation on his face: "Princess... we must leave immediately!" Before Lyra could react, he grabbed her arm and led her out onto the balcony outside her room. Halfway down the hallways of Stonekeep Castle, they met another guard who was running toward them from the opposite direction. He looked panicked as well as he reached them and gasped out: "They're here! There's no time! We must go!" Without giving either princess or guard a chance to respond or even think about what he had just said, he dragged both down the stairs leading to the courtyard below and out onto the plain white road leading away from Stonekeep Castle toward Shadowmoor Forest where they had seen movement earlier in the day.