Her days of waiting, of being locked in a cell, were over. Life in the cold depths of the Capitol – the center of the High City – hadn’t been too different sleeping on the streets. However, she hadn’t seen the sky in so long. She missed the sun – the mornings and evenings of watching the sun disappear at the edge of the world. She missed running over the rooftops, the wind chilling her skin. And now she would never see this world again. She had made a mistake and she would surely die. Her punishment would be death, and the Seven Sins would not be gracious enough to grant her one last request.

Now was the time. They had drugged her – how and when were unknown to her. But they had taken her from her prison and transported her somewhere else. Metal walls were now her cage – and they seemed to hum with energy. Gathering strength, she pulled herself to her feet. Her hands were free, no longer cuffed together to prevent her from escape. Circling the area, she tried to find an exit, but the walls were seamless. But as time drew on, the hum seemed to grow and she could feel the vibration of the floor beneath her. The only explanation she could come up with was that she was in a machine. The ground shuttered, throwing her into one of the metal walls. Fear filled her as the temperature began to quickly rise.

Over her beating heart she heard a loud buzz and the sound of static. “Prisoner 162 found guilty of thievery and treachery against the system. The Seven Sins have blessed you with disintegration.”

The words chilled her to the bone. Being of the High City, she knew that she possessed certain traits that people of the lower worlds did not have, such as being quicker to heal, the ability to withstand great falls and heat, and agility that aided in scaling walls. Such traits made the High City prime for providing the world with the rogues and warriors they needed. But there were limits to such abilities. And in a world full of those with gifts, even to those who were strong were in danger. However, there was no way to survive disintegration. Out of all the options of how to die, she did not want to be pulled apart atom by atom – to leave nothing behind. The thought was too much to bear. And to die in such a confined space … all she wanted was to be free.

The floor beneath her rocked and her cage grew louder as the gears whirled and electricity crackled. And then the world around her went quiet. The world turned white as a resounding bang resounded through the air. The machine rocked back and her head slammed into the metal. With that her world went black.

---

The old man was insane. That was all that Gavin could think as he listened to the rumors that coursed around the castle. People still found it difficult to believe that the King’s brother-in-law had not been given the crown. No, for now the kingdom could only be ruled by a regent. This regent was Vincent Avondale - the King’s brother-in-law and a man who would have to fight for the title of King just like every other poor soul. But, that’s where the problem really was. What sort of irresponsible king chose his heir by sending his subjects on a wild goose chase? It was beyond ridiculous.

On top of the strange happenings, the man had found himself involved in all of this. He had been called back to the castle, away from his missions and the life he had begun for himself. He had left his home to come to his brethren. And it was here that he was tasked with participating in the wild goose chase. There were too many holes with idea. How would he prove he had brought the Regent the thing he was looking for? How many people would come to the castle with an old relic that they believed to be “from the future”?

“Excuse me, Sir Gavin.”

The man turned his head as he was approached by a messenger. Grabbing letter out of the messenger’s hand, he glanced at the words scribbled upon the scroll. With his map in hand, he moved from his position against the wall. He had his orders, and he would be wasting time if he didn’t begin the hunt for this fantasy called the Thief of Time.

It had been a while since Alexander had let himself think about home. The grandeur hallways, tall ceilings, gold crested pillars, windows and sculptures. His mysterious father, locked behind a large wooden door and his beautiful, loving mother. His hands tightened around the sheet of paper he held as emotion welled into his eyes, making them blur with tears. He blinked repeatedly, turning his face downwards so that the several townsfolk who were meandering around wouldn’t see the salty liquid. No, he hadn’t thought of home in a long while, but this paper depicted a portrait of his father, older then Alexander remembered him, and it brought back all the memories that he fought to keep buried.

However, it wasn't so much the picture that interested him... not after a minute. No, it was the words, printed meticulously to prove their point. It told of the king's illness, not that that was news to anyone. It had been one of the main gossips for several weeks now and, like most people, Alexander assumed that his murderous uncle would be the one to take the throne once the King died. Yet this paper spoke differently. The young man stood still as stone amongst the few townsfolk who had chosen to grace the mediocre market place with their presence. His luminescent green eyes were wide and a gleam, almost malicious in it’s ecstasy, made them that much more beguiling.

As his eyes quickly scanned the words that explained of the challenge a plan grew in his mind. This was his chance, to win back the throne and bring justice on the man who had taken from him his beloved mother. Alexander fisted his hand and the paper crumpled. The words becoming wrinkled, yet not any less significant in their meaning. He had to start right away.... he had to find this mysterious Thief of time Time.

---

“Elspeth!”

The name rang through the small farmyard, causing one lazing old mutt to lift it’s heavy head from it’s paws and wail at the speaker.

“Elspeth MacPhee, where are you girl!?” The speaker in question was a woman, she held an old woven basket on her hip. Beads of sweat trickled down her sour face as her eyes scanned the yard for the young girl who bounded out from behind the chicken coop. Ellie’s dress was disheveled and an elated grin was stuck on her plump lips. There was no mistaking her youth as her agile legs carried her towards her scowling mother. “Oh, Momma! You wouldn’t believe what I-”

“Where have you been?” The sharp, accusing tone and birdlike eyes stopped Ellie in her tracks. The words she had been about to say fell dead on her lips and the smile faltered. “I have been slaving away with the chores all day with you nowhere to be found! Explain yourself...” It took a few moments for El to gather the words to explain how she had found a beautiful clearing in the back woods, about the little stream where she had skipped rocks and the wonderful nap she had taken amongst the trees. “I-I’m sorry, Momma.. I-” She was cut off once again as the basket was thrust into her hands causing her to stumble backwards. “Never mind, just get to work. I need vegetables from the garden.” The aging woman left her stunned child staring blankly at the old wooden door and still swaying with the basket.

It took her a few moments to will away the tears that jumped, understandably, to her eyes. As soon as she composed herself, Ellie made her way to the garden which was set in the large field in her backyard. The place was overgrown with weeds, but still a few of the crops survived and all that was needed was some serious digging around. Soon enough, Ellie had almost completely forgotten about her mother’s outburst as she hummed and danced, picking carrots, potatoes and beans. The basket was nearly full by the time she was finished and an accomplished smirk danced across her pretty lips. “There we are! Now that wasn’t so bad...” She hummed again, hands on her hips as her eyes roamed the beautiful blue skies with the puffy blue clouds. If only she could escape these god awful duties and live an exciting life, a life of adventure, romance, beauty. A life where she was more then just some farmer’s daughter.

She wasn’t sure how it happened exactly but somehow Ellie ended up lying on her back in the field, her already rumpled dress now grass stained as she stared up at the clouds and let her mind take her on a fabulous adventure somewhere very far from there...

Phoenix’s senses were disoriented and sounds felt distant. Upon opening her eyes she saw the walls of the machine, she could hear some sort of commotion – people shouting that something was wrong. Had someone told them to turn it off? She shook her head, but the world didn’t seem to clear. It felt distant – as if the world was slowly drifting away from her. And she wondered if this was how her death truly was. Perhaps disintegration was painless, and it meant slowly losing her world. Yet if there was no pain from disintegration, why was she still suffering from the splitting headache she had received from the metal walls.

The world slowed in motion as she began to fall backwards as the ground disappeared beneath her feet. The world of metal was replaced with bright blue. She could feel the wind whipping through her hair and she was enveloped in the sensation of falling. Instinct took over - habit developed from running through the High City. In seconds her feet slammed into the ground. Her body took the impact - the shock spreading throughout her limbs. Her muscles and bones ached as she remained still, crouched close to the ground. Her eyes focused on the ground – as the green abundance of grass that was spread beneath her palm. Her fingers curled around the plant life. Never had she seen so much green – except for when she had made her escapades through the Capitol.

Her brain cycled through many thoughts and questions. Was this heaven? Why did she not feel dead? Was she truly a spirit because she could feel the grass? Perhaps she was alive and just lost in her mind? But if all this was true – why was she bleeding?

Lifting her other hand, she placed it on the back of her head, trying to assess the damage to her cranium. Her gash in her head would take quite some time to heal. And while the fall had not killed her, her body still ached from the impact and that too would take recovery time. Even if she was dead and this was the afterlife, she sure didn’t feel that she had the energy to move very far from her spot. With the thoughts trickling through her head, she lifted her head to get a better look at the world around her. There before her – not too far away – was another person. A girl who was very different from any resident of the High City.

---

Gavin had taken off immediately towards the town marked on his map. The map provided him with the information he needed to participate in the quest. He knew where the rumors were. He knew of the legends that and rumors that were spoken by the royal family. Yet, while wise men had put together this map, he felt that he was going about this in the entirely wrong way.

If he was to participate in this chase just like everyone else, it could possibly take years to produce the true artifact. Years were exactly what Gavin did not have. He would see Vincent ascend to the throne. So perhaps his job wasn’t to the truth from the lies. If he produced the most credible and believable artifact the game would be over.

Or would it? Perhaps the old king was insane – but cunning. In order for this plan to work, Gavin would have to fulfill his two orders: find the Thief of Time and eliminate anyone in his way. So if he could just find the one person most likely to go after the throne, his job could become a whole lot easier. Finding some legend and killing some exiled prince – now that seemed like the jobs he was used to being sent on.

Through her hazy, mid afternoon day dreams, with the prickly grass digging into the exposed flesh on her arms and legs, Elspeth could see something. At first sight she thought the shadow in the sky was some sort of bird, the type that would often pick up small animals or children when no one was paying attention. However as the shadow grew closer and closer becoming less of a shadow and more of a firm shape she realized that this wasn’t as simple as a bird or some other air faring animal. Abruptly the young girl sat upright, her eyes widening in shock and interest as the shape, this human shape, plummeted faster and faster towards the grassy field.

The body hit the ground with an audible thud, making Ellie scramble back a bit. The shock in her eyes faded to a dim wonder as this mysterious girl from the heavens lay in the grass. For just a second Elspeth feared that she may be dead, or seriously injured and the young girl went to stand and perhaps try to help. But just as she took to her feet the pile of skin and clothes began to stir. The angel, for there was no other explanation in Elspeth mind, this woman must be heaven sent, appeared shocked herself as she gazed down at her body. She didn’t look like any person Elspeth had ever seen in her life. She wore no skirts, her hair was cut oddly and not worn in any fashion Ellie would have ever thought “appropriate”.

She wasn’t sure about what to do now, not with some oddly clothed stranger standing just a little ways away glaring at her with what Ellie assumed must have been mirrored in her own eyes. Mute curiosity and horror. Part of her just wanted to turn and flee, grab her basket and make her hasty way back to the house, safe with her Mother and Father and the boys. Yet, at the same time there was another part of her that was curious... and that part of her was much stronger then the fading fear deep in her gut.

She blinked several times as her foot took an involuntary step forward. Her lips quivered slightly with unsure words. What did you say to a person whom you just watched fall from the sky? Hello? Good day to you?

“Are you an angel?”

---

Alexander shoved the crumpled paper in his pocket, and finally resumed maneuvering his way through the crowd. The population became much more dense as the morning went on and as he moved against the heavy wave of people, his mind wandered to how he may achieve this impossible task of finding this mysterious object that held such great value. It seemed so grande in his mind, almost exhausting, but he wanted more then anything to win back that throne, and no task was too tall for such a want.

He wove through the crowd, jostled a bit by the many bodies swimming like salmon through the streams. The small huts were lined with different goods and the merchants called out different beguiling statements to attract the attention of their costumers. On a normal day, Alexander would have been perfectly content to meander casually with the crowd, stopping ever so often to sample some food or look at some jewelry. However today he felt rushed.

His heart pounded in his ear and all he wanted was to be out of the crowd and somewhere quiet, where he could be alone with his thoughts and try and come up with some sort of starting point for this wild goose chase he was about to set himself on. And when he finally burst through the crowd he was grateful. The claustrophobia lifted and he was finally able to breath. “Now onto the hard stuff.” He muttered to himself. Yes, onto the hard stuff indeed.

The thief was quiet as she processed the question. She blinked once and than twice. The being before her was like no one she ever saw. It was the look in this girl's eyes that seemed the most removed from the world Phoenix was from. The girl was perhaps afraid - which was a common feeling in the High City. Yet, she didn't seem alert to fight - instead she seemed to want to flee. On top of that, while there was this sense that the girl may be wary of her, the girl still stood there, asking her question. And it was a strange question at that. For if this was heaven, would the theory be that this girl would be the angel?

Then there was the notion that she, a thief, was an angel. The idea made her laugh, though it was quiet. Phoenix moved to a standing potion - or attempted to but she felt shaky upon her feet. "Far from it," Phoenix answered. "There is nothing angelic about me. But what about you? And where am I?0"

It was an odd feeling. One that she would have liked to call fear but if that were the case, wouldn't Elspeth have fled by now? She had been taught her entire life, and on a multitude of occasions followed through with this teaching, that she should flee at the sign of any danger. The world wasn't a safe place to be. So if this was truly a feeling of full fledged alarm, then Elspeth would most certainly have run by then. Yet, she stayed there. Staring at the odd woman who peered right back at her queerly. And so the two women stood there, silently assessing each other and the shocked question that had just left the maiden's lips just seconds before.

Finally, the strange girl from the sky quietly chuckled. It wasn't a particularly happy sound, as laughter should be, but more reproachful in nature. She seemed to be very shocked and also slyly amused at the thought of her own divinity. “So, you aren't an angel?” She opened her mouth to ask what she had come from, then, but was beaten to the punch when the other girl inquired about their whereabouts. “You're in the back fields of my father's farm.” She realized after a couple of seconds that perhaps that wasn't good enough... this girl had come from the sky of course (and that fact still served to make Ellie's stomach clench with just how unnatural that was). “You're in The Westlands, and my name is Elspeth MacPhee.” She paused, giving another long look at the odd attire and strange demeanor of this mystery person.

“Now, care to explain where exactly you came from non-angel?”

She was not dead and this was not the afterlife. Finally she felt confident to truly admit such a fact. She had never heard of these "Westlands" before. But perhaps that was for the best, as it was not a name her mind would conjure up by itself. So, was it possible then that she was in the lower lands? Had she managed to escape the High City? Phoenix lifted her head, staring up at the sky above her. Perhaps it did look farther away than she was used to. Perhaps that is why she had been falling in the first place. But somehow she must be on the ground below.

"The High City," the redhead responded as she lowered her gaze back down to the girl. Surely the girl had heard of the land suspended in the air. And for a moment she wondered if she had made a mistake of telling the girl the truth. If the girl - Elspeth - knew of the High City, knew that the city bred killers, she would certainly flee in fright.

"As for a name," she hesitantly continued, "I'm called Phoenix."

[double post]